Pubdate: Fri, 29 Dec 2000
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2000 San Francisco Chronicle
Contact:  901 Mission St., San Francisco CA 94103
Feedback: http://www.sfgate.com/select.feedback.html
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Forum: http://www.sfgate.com/conferences/
Author: Redford Givens
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/authors/givens (letters by R. Givens)

MISGUIDED MISSION

Editor -- It is certainly good news that patients in agony will now receive 
appropriate relief for their pain. However, your Dec. 27 editorial 
studiously neglects the true cause for generations of deliberate 
under-treatment of pain. The blame belongs squarely on the heads of lunatic 
drug crusaders who have targeted physicians and their patients as criminals 
for the legitimate use of narcotics for more than 80 years.

Thousands of doctors who tried to treat chronic pain according to medical, 
humanitarian and scientific guidelines have been prosecuted, convicted and 
sent to prison by those chanting "zero-tolerance" nonsense. The Joint 
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations should be applauded 
for taking a stand against the medical malpractice of under-treating pain 
promoted by America's drug warriors.

REDFORD GIVENS
San Francisco.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Thunder