First, you are conflating dependence and addiction. They are vastly different

Second, healthy people would rather have their heads clear most of the time. Out of 10,880 patients in the early 80s getting powerful narcotics in the hospital, there were only four new addictions. Four. Out of nearly eleven thousand. Think about that one.

Third, doctors are being heavily leaned on not to dispense these drugs to people in pain. Untreated pain is fatal, leading to social isolation, depression and suicide to make it all stop. You call the drugs "ample." They are, in fact, parsimoniously dispensed.

Fourth, adding layers and layers of bureaucracy to discourage people from seeking help with pain is driving them to the black market, supporting the most vicious criminal gangs worldwide, think about that one, too.

Fifth, all the drug war has done is suppress the safer drugs, encouraging the development of bathtub drugs like krokodil that no one, not even a desperate addict would touch if there were any alternatives available. Think about that one, too. All prohibition does is get you more of the same, only more dangerous forms of it.

The drug war, held so dearly by conservatives in both parties, is the most dismal failure of social, legal and military policy this country has ever had, wasting billions of dollars and millions of lives. You need to rethink your stand.

Andrew Lloyd Webber helps the Republcans update their debates

Concerned that viewership was dropping, the Republicans tapped him for help. And help, he did.

https://www.facebook.com/republicats2016/videos/1654433511472554/

Not on You Tube yet, so I can't link directly. Watch it, you won't be disappointed. It's from the foul mouthed knitters.

ETA: for the satire impaired, this is satire. All of it.

**LAST CALL FOR VITRIOL**

Only half an hour left to top up and hit the bricks, kiddies!

An Xmas song for the rest of us.