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I'm sorry, perhaps I'm not making myself clear on this point. The problems with these strong drugs is not in their use but rather in the abuse of the drug. OxyContin, Percocet and the like CAN be safely used to treat acute pain in both the short term (my case) and chronic, long term pain as well. You just have to be aware of the risks and take the appropriate measures.

Again, if one starts to use the drug for it's unintended "buzz" through chewing it or other methods of getting the drug into one's systems faster, you'll run into problems. That is undoubtedly the case with Rush and I wish him all the best. In his case, as is the case of many addicts, it became not about the “pain” but about the drug.

You and many others on this thread have insisted that the responsibility falls on Rush’s doctors and not him. Victim-hood is one of the cornerstones of liberal thinking and I’m not falling for it.

J

Yes, very good point. I do not, however, hold Rush or anyone else blameless for their use/abuse of a chosen drug. I do think that it is up to the medical community to make sure the best avenues for pain management are followed and the risks explained. I honestly do not think doctors do that enough. I know this from personal experience in caring for several relatives who have been terminally or chronically ill, as well as those with short term problems. I also happen to strongly believe that doctors have "chosen" drugs that seem to go through cycles. Evidence of this is the fact that for a period of time in our town, almost everyone I know was prescribed mood altering medications. Few opted to take them, but it seemed to be the first thing offered regardless of what the problem was. Prozac was a biggy. Just as there was once a period of time when antibiotics were given too freely. And just as there are some doctors who opt for surgery as the first choice in various illnesses. I am a person who has lost a lot of confidence in the medical community because of things I have seen done that were not necessarily in the best interest of a patient. Part of that seems to be due to the failure now days of doctors to be able to really "doctor". They are now confined by "rules" established by monetary concerns rather than patient's individual needs.

There is plenty of responsibility to go around. I remember not all that long ago when the doctors we were able to go to were "real" doctors. And only doctors were allowed to prescribe medications. That is no longer true. Maybe it depends where you live, but I happen to be very upset about the fact that Physician's assistants are prescribing medications and dosages. From my own personal experience with relatives in my care, I know that drugs are given that create conflict with other drugs and sometimes the doctors don't check those conflicts out until you stand over the top of them and watch them do it.

Case in point...my brother recently died because of a severe heart ailment. He was in the hospital and a doctor was assigned to him who had only been practicing for 1 week! That doctor had my brother on a course of treatment that severely dehydrated him until my sister called in a senior doctor who reversed the treatment to try to restore his health. When you go into a hospital in our particular town, you are assigned a doctor who you have probably never met. Your own physician is not allowed to interfere, a fact in itself that I find alarming. It was under that circumstance that my husband failed to wake up after an abdominal surgery for three days. There was a medicine conflict and he was overdosed as a result. I could go on and on about this subject. The fact is, however, that a book of rules is only so good when you are dealing with individuals. Not everyone can be expected to react the same way or need the same treatment under the very same conditions. So, while I hold an individual responsible for their choices, I also hold those people who are in charge of the prescription pad responsible for their actions.

"The problems with these strong drugs is not in their use but rather in the abuse of the drug. OxyContin, Percocet and the like CAN be safely used to treat acute pain in both the short term (my case) and chronic, long term pain as well. You just have to be aware of the risks and take the appropriate measures.

Again, if one starts to use the drug for it's unintended "buzz" through chewing it or other methods of getting the drug into one's systems faster, you'll run into problems"

Excellent point and well said. Totally agree with you.

Drug abusers will probably abuse......... people wanting relief to be able to live a 'normal' life are grateful there is something to help them.