Believe what you want - I know *this* situation and she is not ADDICTED to pills.

She does use them when the pain gets severe - which sometimes is not at all, and sometimes for weeks at a time - and then she discontinues use of them.

Just because you can't believe it doesn't mean it's not true.

It's not they had them out easily - they give her a very small supply and when she needs it for more than a few weeks she has to go into the office and they run her through a protocol to make sure she's not abusing the medication.

>1. You can't verify that she is in pain.

Jesus Christ, if you think someone who was medically discharged from the military (she retired at 20 years but gets a higher rate) has a handicap placard, has had several surgeries, who is claustrophobic so she has to drive 2 hours to an open-MRI machine (which she did last week) is faking it, then I'd like to see your medical credentials and your experience in diagnosing chronic pain patients.

I think I'm done with you on this - you're exhibiting the belief that THE ONLY REASON someone would use pain medication is because they're addicted to it. And that using pain pills to manage pain means that you are an addict.

Some people actually have medical conditions that will cause them to be in agonizing pain for long periods of times - and these drugs are exactly what they need to be able to live a life that isn't ONLY being in pain.

Now, I agree that more people are probably abusing drugs than actually need it - but frankly denying people who need the MEDICATION is not the answer.

We can increase rehab funding and drug education to help lessen that problem - but these drugs work well and have very little long term side effects of the people who need them.

I'd trade you all the opium in the world if you could find a fix for my mother's pain. So would she. So would the millions of people in chronic pain.

And the people who just want to get high will find other ways to do it.