I respect Dr. Dwight Moulin perspective on how OxyContin should not be blamed for its negative consequences on society (“Doctor: CBC’s Oxy message dangerous,” March 23).
OxyContin is an essential drug used in medicine because of its ability to relieve pain in patients with varying illnesses. In addition, the drug is noted by many doctors as being useful because of the lack of side effects. Many doctors, including Moulin, believe regulations of the drug are the real problem.
I also believe this is the underlying problem because it’s not the drug causing harm; it is the people who acquire it illegally. OxyContin will never disappear because there always will be patients who will need it to cope with the chronic pain; therefore, a ban would be pointless.
In my opinion, the onus of prescribing OxyContin should be on the doctor because without their recommendation, individuals cannot access it.
What would you want to face? Severe chronic pain for years on end or a pain-free life with OxyContin? At the end of day, logic would suggest you would choose the pain-free life; with OxyContin, this is possible.
Therefore, if society considers banning OxyContin, the idea of a pain-free life will only be a fragment of our imagination.
Reuben George
Faculty of Science, undergraduate student