I would probably add to that that different countries have different protocols they follow as well in terms of drugs and chronic pain.
In the UK there often has to be a risk management programme in place. We also have different drug licenses to the states.
In Australia you have to sign a contract between you and the doctor who prescribes to say you will not abuse, only use one source to get your prescription for example.
The companies that make the drugs are also under pressure to manufacture controlled drugs that are less easy to abuse, like small pack size, so there is not a large number of pills in a patients home. Make sure they do not taste really nice or can be tampered with so they get into the blood stream quicker.
I think the other thing to remember is that we need these drugs to treat patients who are in horrific pain from terminal cancer so that they can have a peaceful, pain free death with their loved ones. There are incredibly poorly patients who warrant this treatment and its sad that the abuse from others may prevent them from being prescribed quickly enough.
Best to stop scaremongering I think.