Hold on now. Another big oxycontin/oxycodone set of headlines. As if any of us haven't seen all the prior ones. And metamphetamine headlines. And the cocaine headlines. And the crack headlines. Heroin headlines. Pot headlines. Whatever.

Has it ever occurred to anyone with any degree of authority or responsibility (such as NIDA) to wonder why so many people in our country feel the need to get addicted to these various killers? The original stink came after 1900 and led to the requirement that opioids (and others) be dispensed only on prescription. I think, if memory serves, that that came in 1915. The Harrison Act? Not sure. And then various subsequent prohibitive enactments over all subsequent years.

Is a tendency to get addicted a basic human tendancy or does it in some way show that there's something wrong with our society? That's not AT ALL a loaded question. I DO NOT have a preferred answer waiting in the wings. In reality, I DON'T KNOW the answer. And I don't believe I've read such an answer anywhere. Nor do I have any information at all about whether other societies suffer more, less or about the same as we do.

Think about it for a minute. There does indeed have to be a reason for all this drug addiction. Either built into ourselves genetically or in some way promoted by our society, or both. People don't get themselves addicted to these terribly expensive drugs for no reason at all. Sure, the drugs "feel good," at least to some people. Does that mean a certain percentage of the population has "bad genes" or is there some other mechanism at fault?

If there were some really, wildly reasonable person around, like for example Jeremy Bentham, how would he/she analyze the problem? What kinds of solutions would he/she consider? And what about the basic, underlying reason for not letting people indulge their taste for such things? No, seriously! I'm sure there are many anti-prohibitionists who have opined loud and long on these issues but I'm not familiar with their work. I'd really like to know. Do any of us here on PC have any pointers to authors or sources that can throw enlightment on any of these issues?

Me, I'm tired of these scare headlines. They don't scare me anymore. They're so damn repetitive. Been there, done that. Do they really affect any of you folks anymore? At least those older than 25 who've seen at least some of the prior waves before.

That lady heading NIDA now, I can't remember her name, seems very smart on TV, talking with Charlie Rose, but how smart are these people really? Are they really dealing with the real issues or is it the same nonsense over and over again. I'm tired of having my tax money spent on this ridiculous wild goose chase. Billions of dollars. Prove to me it's necessary and I'll shut up. I just don't think anyone has. Take care!