Little Mini-rant on prescription painkillers...

[Humanist_Activist]

7. Remember the guy in NA/AA was terminal, at that point, I would say any history with any drugs...

shouldn't matter except to avoid bad drug interactions or bad side effects that would increase suffering.

I honestly don't think that addiction, in itself, is a bad thing if it doesn't damage your health or damages your relationships and/or livelihoods.

Lots of people were and are addicted to cigarettes, and it isn't the fact that you are addicted that's the problem, its the fact that the substance you are addicted to is bad for your health. Alcoholism is damaging because of the impairment in function that results, the damage that can occur to your health, and that said impairment can damage your ability to maintain relationships and jobs.

There are plenty of things that people are addicted to, psychologically and physically, that we call habits instead, because they are mostly innocuous. Pen chewing, coffee drinking, etc.

Other addictions are normal in moderation, but become obsessions and damage relationships and/or health when taken to extremes, for example, to get obvious ones out the way, obsessive cleaning, overeating, vanity/self esteem issues, etc. Yet I don't see people trying to ban things like Windex, or makeup, or food(in general).

I think we need to view this in pathological terms, does the substance cause issues in health, well being and social repercussions? If no or if manageable, then it shouldn't be a concern if people are addicted to it. I'm thinking back to the studies done with heroin addicts in I believe Europe, who were given heroin daily, as they want, from the government, administered in a safe environment. They found that these people were still able to keep their jobs, remain productive, and outside of taking heroin, functioned normally.

I would say that the drugs you need for your condition falls under the opposite of pathological, but rather necessary medication to function, similar to needing insulin or a thyroid medication. I don't see why having increased pain isn't treated the same way as hyperthyroidism where medication is concerned. Who gives a shit if you end up addicted to the medication? If you can get out of bed in the morning, go and meet and great people, perhaps work or have a hobby, those are all pluses.