LIMBAUGH MADE CHOICE

Re: "Limbaugh should pay full price," Oct. 19 Ken Hamblin column.

Hear! Hear! Ken Hamblin got it right: "Rush Limbaugh is a junkie." It seems
Limbaugh would have us believe he couldn't help it because his pain pills
were prescribed. It's highly unlikely that he was getting a sufficient
supply just from a medical professional who wrote a prescription; there
were other sources.

Those of us in the field of treating chronic-pain patients know that
long-acting narcotics, when taken as prescribed, are not only quite
effective in helping individuals manage their pain, but do not produce some
type of emotional/mental "high." By choosing to use the phrase
"prescription pain medication," Limbaugh seems to be attempting to reduce
his responsibility and culpability. It is extremely rare that an individual
with chronic pain who follows a plan of using a long-acting narcotic gets
addicted. Limbaugh's drug habit was a behavioral choice that he made, over
and over.

JOSEPH C. ROOK

Denve