As noted, the culprits are physicians and the pharmaceutical companies. How could so many opioid pills be prescribed by physicians without physicians, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical companies taking note? It was easier to hand out addictive pain pills than actually talk to patients.

Tore a quadricep and was seen in an out of town ER. Told them to use a splint so I could back home to see a local highly regarded orthopedic surgeon. Received a prescription for Hydrocodone in the ER. Didn't get it filled because there was no real pain, I just could not stand on the leg. Underwent surgery when I got home. Given a Hydrocodone script for the outpatient procedure. I got that filled because I was certain I would have pain postop. I took two pills total because I thought there would be postop pain, there wasn't. I anticipated pain that never came. Had to have a redo procedure because I overdid activity. received a third Hydrocodone script after that operation, again no major pain. I filled only the second of the three scripts. The reflex appeared to be give the heavy duty pain med without asking how much pain I had.