Opiates, why are they illegal

[CrazyMedic]

(inspired by the one about why pot is illegal)
My dad suffers from 2 kinds of chronic pain(TMJ headaches and he has a blood clot in his leg that is basically making his leg slowly die) but he has to search long and hard to find a doctor who will even give him enough meds so he is not agony 24/7(the rate now is about once a week he has a bad day uses a lot of his supply because they don't give him breakthrough) anyway I have been reading and I have yet to find a historical reason(IE why the bill was proposed like how with pot it was the slaves raping white women) why Opiates were made illegal or rather highly restricted.
also side topic I got into an argument with a friend I was saying that not releaving someones pain was just as bad as causing it, what is your take on this.

 

[Smokepuddle]

I take it you've never met a heroin addict have you? Opiates are physically addictive to the point where depending on the level of dependency withdrawal can actually kill. Even using prescribed opiates can cause addiction and the government/hospitals don't like having to help someone how isn't working because they can't get there fix.

Edit:I understand your point about not releaving pain but sometimes the risks outweigh the gain.

 

[EarndilTheEqualizer]

Mainly because they can't actively be taxed by the government.
If the reason for their illegality was because they could kill you, cigarettes would also be banned, as well as alcohol.
Another reason being that most of the drugs that enter the U.S. come from a foreign drug cartel, who can share their profit with other... less savory... organizations, most of which don't particularly care for the U.S.

On the idea that not stopping the pain is just as bad as causing it? I'm with you on that train of thought.

 

[CrazyMedic]

I take it you've never met a heroin addict have you? Opiates are physically addictive to the point where depending on the level of dependency withdrawal can actually kill. Even using prescribed opiates can cause addiction and the government/hospitals don't like having to help someone how isn't working because they can't get there fix.

Edit:I understand your point about not releaving pain but sometimes the risks outweigh the gain.

I have seen my dad in serious withdrawal and in a very fucked state, just to give you an example of what can happen when you restrict something that not only releases pain but puts them though worse. I was 8 or 9 and my dad had a kidney and used up all his meds and the doctor he was seeing decided to start weaning him after the DEA showed up and threatened to take away her license(I was there for this)so anyway my dad is in agony and we have to stop every 5 minutes to let him throw up but because the DEA took a bunch of files and didn't give them time to copy them he had no proof he should be getting meds and every doctor(and hospital) had a policy if they couldn't talk to your doctor and get your file no pain meds for(I think him accidentally throwing up on a nurse didn't help) so he spent a week like this until the DEA gave the files back.