Pubdate: Fri, 22 Apr 2011
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Section: Letter of the Day
Copyright: 2011 Mark Mason
Contact: http://www2.tbo.com/static/tools/contact-us/
Website: http://www.tampatrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Author: Mark Mason
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n058/a06.html

LIVING IN PAIN

I have been following the 'pill mill' articles with much interest over
the last few weeks. The thing I do not understand is that all we
read about are deaths and over-prescription. No one ever mentions
the thousands of us who now have this medication, and it has been a
godsend.

We - most of us - have documented medical conditions that are
extremely painful. Yet bring a prescription for this medication
(written by a Florida M.D.) to almost any pharmacy, and they treat you
like a drug addict.

People will have vices or escapes no matter what they happen to be
(computer cleaner, painter and so on), so I do not see how stopping
the legitimate users who need this medication will stop deaths. I can
see how linking the pharA-macies so doctor-shopping does not continue
will help, but don't penalize those of us who live daily in pain.

Mark Mason, Tampa 
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