YOU HAVE BASICALLY ANSWERED YOUR OWN QUESTION. IF YOUR WIFE CAN FUNCTION WITHOUT THE MEDS, SHE LIKELY IS AN ADDICT. WHICH BRINGS ME TO AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION: ADDICT V. PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE. AN ADDICT HAD A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM THEY ARE SEEKING TO MEDICATE; A PERSON WITH CHRONIC PAIN FROM A DIAGNOSABLE CONDITIO0–MINE IS POST CANCER SURGICAL PAIN HAS A PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE AFTER BEING ON OPIATE/OPIODS FOR TREATMENT OF SUCH PAIN. i AM A PROFESSIONAL WHO FOUND I SIMPLY COULD NOT WORK WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF AN OPIATE MEDICATION TO CONTROL THE ACHING, NERVE PAIN, TINGLING AND NUMBNESS THAT IS WITH ME NEARLY CONSTANTLY. I AM CAREFULLY MONITORED BY MY DRS. AND MY FAMILY WATCHES FOR PROBLEMS THAT COULD ARISE WITH MEMORY, ETC. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE DEA/GOVERNMENT HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THESE MEDICATIONS OR THEIR CONTROL UNTIL THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT OF 1972. I ALSO FIND IT CURIOUS THAT DUE AT LEAST IN PART TO THIS ACT AND ITS CONTROL OF MARIJUANA, WHICH I DO NOT USE, AND DUE TO THE OPIATE PROBLEMS, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF INCARCERATION OF ANY OF OUR PEER COUNTRIES AND WE RANK RIGHT UP THERE WITH IRAN AND THAT SORT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF OUR CITIZENS WE PUT IN JAIL. I FOR ONE WOULD LIKE THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF MY DOCTOR’S OFFICE. I DO NOT BELIEVE OUR POLITICIANS KNOW MORE THAN OUR MEDICAL COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW TO TREAT CHRONIC PAIN, MENTAL ILLNESS AND ADDICTION. TELL YOUR POLITICAL LEADER TO LEAVE THE DOCTOR ALONE AND FOCUS ON THE CRIMINALS WHO ASSAULT US, STEAL FROM US, RAPE US, MURDER US, ETC. LET OUR DOCTORS DECIDE WHAT THE BEST MEDICINE IS FOR EACH OF US.