In terms of treatment, you're right, but scoring narcotics off the street... at what point do you STOP being addicted for physical pain, and START being addicted due to its psychological impact? Regardless, they're both still addicts.
If his pain were really that great, why couldn't he find a doctor to manage his pain? Using your housekeeper to manage your pain seems to be the mark of an addict, the kind that WOD lovers want to lock up.
Hardly. That is rationalization. Ask a recovering addict.