"War on prescription drugs" victimizes sufferers with severe pain

Everyone who is interested in health care, politics, government, and chronic illness, should read this article:

Reason article on chronic pain and suicide

I am not taking a political position on the drug laws in general, but what most people don't know is that right now in the US government regulations prevent and punish doctors from prescribing pain medicine to patients who are really, honestly, suffering from debilitating pain.

The article might seem extreme but I can attest from personal experience as well as the experience of talking to other chronic pain sufferers, that this is really a major issue.

Honest doctors will flat out tell you, that they would like to prescribe pain medicine but they know that their office will be visited by government officials and their reputations will be tarnished, for medically necessary pain treatment.

Patients who need pain medicine are resorting to wheedling, trickery, trying to beat the system, etc. -- in other words, beginning to act like drug addicts.

Patients are being treated for depression, anxiety, any other disorder, that stems from being in pain that is entirely treatable, right now, with available medications.

I find it really damning that driving people to suicide is apparently preferable to treating pain.