Richard,
 Addiction is a far more complex issue than you make it out to be. So, people with chronic pain following doctors orders are supposed to monitor the intake on their own? Addiction doesn't work that way Richard.  How would someone know when they are approaching addiction and need to back off the dosage? People are a diverse lot and we all have different pain thresholds/tolerances that require varying degrees of dosage and frequency. It is not an exact science. So whats a person to do? Should they follow doctors orders or would it be prudent to get a second opinion from Richard Rhyner before starting a pain management program?
   In addition, we are constantly inundated with big pharma advertising to get prescriptions for any and everything that ails us. In most cases a change in diet and lifestyle will cure us. Corporate America does not want us to know this. If big pharma companies had their way we would all be dependent on every med they produce.