[CWOJackson]

Most people recognize that there is a clear distinction between those who become addicted to a substance through a regime of prescribed medication, and those who get addicted to drugs through recreational use of an illegal substance.

Legalizing drugs has no bearing on Limbaughs situation, other then it would have made it cheaper and easier to continue his addiction. His situation is that a powerful and narcotic pain medication was prescribed. Perhaps more careful monitoring and aftercare is needed in his type of situation, but that is more a medical, not a legal matter.

Recreational drug use is in no way related to the situation he finds himself in, other then both users obtain their drugs from people willing to sell death for a profit. Pushers aren't a medical problem, they will remain a legal problem.

I know there is a lot of effort out there by some elements to attempt to use Limbaugh's situation to somehow bloister their efforts to legalize drugs. Drug legalization wouldn't have prevented Limbaugh's problem, it would only create many more like him.

I seriously doubt that Limbaugh himself would be in favor of that.

[elfman2]

"Most people recognize that there is a clear distinction between those who become addicted to a substance through a regime of prescribed medication, and those "

Most people think that the DOE, ADA and AFDIC or constitutionally provisioned programs. An appeal to popularism is not persuasive here.

I didn’t say legalization reduces drug use. No knee jerking please. I said “If the money pored into drug enforcement was diverted into rehab and anti-drug promotion programs, I wonder if there would be more use.” If these programs were expanded, would they make up for the more open access to drugs? That’s not an abandonment of standards, just a search for a more effective and morally consistent way of maintaining them.

I explained in #25 why both Limbaugh and junkies are examples of weakness in the human condition, just different circumstances. I said junkies and Limbaugh were challenged with drugs in very different environments. That’s why if you isolate just that (absent of other character traits), neither can claim moral superiority. (Of course there are huge character differences that make a broader comparison silly.)

If you disagree, feel free to address the specifics of my explanation. But I don’t see the relevance of popular opinion, legal vs. controlled, pain management vs. escapism, or left wing conspiracies