As one with severe arthritic pain, it worries me when drugs that can bring relief are taken away. Abuse is horrible and tragic and as much as possible should be done to minimize that at a patient, doctor and drug manufacturer level. But the benefits are real for the majority of those who need it. People in pain are not "reckless criminals". Nor are people who provide pain relief.
A friend nearly lost his son to opiate addiction (and of course, it's an ongoing issue). On the other hand, my sister's husband got several quality years from the opiates during his battle with cancer. A friend (paralyzed partially from an earlier accident) committed suicide when the fentanyl patch that he had been using for five years lost effectiveness - but those five years were the best of his life (and the most sober). It's a double edged sword.
I'm not ready to condemn a ski resort owner just because he is rich. Or because he sells medicines for profit. Both of those factors seem to be getting lots of traction here. But laundering money through a ski resort isn't right either.
If the snow's good and I'm in the area, I'll ski.
Eric
