Has recreational use of hydrocodone been pushed into acceptability by its accepted medical uses?
It seems to have been in Colorado.
The use of hydrocodone, or morphine, or any of the opiates is tightly controlled and used in very limited instances, although it IS still abused.
"Medical" marijuana is sold as a long-term, habitual "treatment" unlike any of the pain-relieving drugs.
Here's a good test: Show me the correlation of the advocacy of "medical" marijuana and advocacy for it's recreational use. A month's pay says that they track right on top of each other.