DRUG RELIEVES PAIN, SHOULD NOT BE BANNED

I'd like to comment on the article (Telegram & Gazette, July 11) about
OxyContin. I understand that pharmacists are concerned and would like to
see this drug banned because of all the recent robberies. But what about
the people who need this drug to control their pain?

One pharmacist said he knew of 200 to 300 people receiving prescriptions
for OxyContin a month. If prescribed by a doctor, who is he to comment?
Most pharmacists seem to act more like doctors than pharmacists.

I am permanently disabled and suffer with pain every day. I take pain
medication and would most likely commit suicide if I didn't have it. I
really feel for the people who take OxyContin for cancer and other
illnesses. Why should it be taken off the market because of other people's
abuse of it?

Alcohol is abused every day, but you don't see the liquor stores being shut
down. There's an important difference between the two: That is that pain
medication is prescribed for people who suffer. Alcohol is for pleasure. It
makes no sense for people to suffer when there is something available for
their pain.

Instead of taking OxyContin off the market, why not focus more on securing
the pharmacy, perhaps with bulletproof windows? I have seen some pharmacies
do that. If OxyContin is helping people stay out of pain, that should be a
good enough reason not to ban this drug.

DONNA MACLEAN

Rutland