Yes, I will agree that their is a drug problem when people who don't need the drugs take them for "fun."

BUT the flipside is that people who *actually need* the medication for pain management are often in horrible, years long pain.

My mother injured her back in the military (Navy nurse, hut her back lifting patients and preventing falls) and has had several major back surgeries.

When her back pain kicks in (sometimes it goes away for months at a time, sometimes it stays for multiple months) she NEEDS pain medication - and in some cases an epidural.

Well it's difficult for her to get the drugs now, so she'll be in agonizing back pain for days sometimes.

Luckily as an ex-nurse she knows the words to say - and the poeple to talk to to get the medication she needs. But if her health declines - or if she starts to lose her mental capabilities a bit (people often do when they get older) it might be a lot worst for her.

Recently the pain management doctor she's been seeing has had his Medicare certification removed - because he's "over prescribing" pain medication.


She's almost 70. Retired military. Major back surgeries. Medically discharged from the service and has a handicap placard on the car. In no way could she be considered an addict.

But who cares if she became addicted anyways?
I'd rather have her on be "addicted" than to be in horrible pain for days/weeks on end.

The bad news is it looks like she'll have to have another surgery within the next year :(