My problem with Rush, if the allegations bear out, is him getting his drugs through illegal channels, like any common drug user would. This market's exactly the same market targeted by the War on Drugs, which has been championed by the Right now since Nixon in the 1970s.
In getting his drugs this way, Rush is no different than any other addict scoring drugs, no matter how noble his purpose is for taking them (it's irrelevant, actually, especially in the eyes of the law). As a stalwart of the Right and a person who's actually called for the strict enforcement of the drug laws on his radio show, I expect Rush to live in the bed he made, even if that involves a stretch in a federal pen.
I hope, however, that this bout with drug addiction and the law might wise Rush up that he's on the anti-conservative side of the Drug War.
I totally concur, and await his explanations.
I wonder if his Dr., as many seem to do, failed to follow up and treat Rush for the resulting addiction and failed to explain how to withdraw and/or manage the addiction.
IMO, many doctors are totally clueless about this subject and need to be educated.
It is apparent to me that Rush lost control of this and that could have been prevented. He could not have prevented the addiction however.
Regarding this subject and WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, I have some comments and things to say.
To start off, I suppose most of you have read what I have said on this and other threads. As you know, I am a pain patient and use OxyContin and Percocet to enable me the opportunitys and pleasures of simple movement and some sort of normalcy in my life. It works well.
On the other hand, I got a call from my daughter the night before last. My son in law was busted on a piss test at work and to my surprise has admitted addiction to presciption pain killers and use of marijuana as well.
It apparently started three years ago with a knee operation. As many do, he found that the pain killers enhanced alchohol and began abusing them. When he could not get any from a Dr. he got them from realitives and friends. Over time the addiction ensued and he was powerless to break it as the sources of the drugs were plentifull.
He will be entering rehab and has managed to preserve his job in lieu of five years of probation.
So folks! Here I am, a user and a needfull pain patient who requires this drug for a near normal existance and I have a family member who has abused the same drug and nearly lost everything he had as a result.
What a dillehma! What a quagmire! What a shame.................
IMHO, many doctors have a burdon that they are not dealing with. They have, as prescribers, the ability to persrcribe for each other and are prone to drug abuse themselves. I think this makes prescription drug abuse hard for even them to discuss in detail with a patient. with some of them it is an anchor around their necks and that is why so many refuse to even prescribe the drugs, much less monitor the patient for possible abuse.
Do we tighten controls on these drugs even furthur, or do we educate and form protocols for dealing with pain medication recipients.
IMO, it is similar to the debate over hand guns. The self protection advocacy and the right to bear arms against the results of gun abuser's who pull the trigger illegally.
Out comes the words "get rid of all guns"! Procecute,!
Out comes the words "get rid of OxyContin"! Procecute!
Unfortunately I see little in any of these threads that addresses these problems thoughtfully.
The more things change, the more they remain the same.