I want to publicly thank Dr. Perry G. Fine for his commentary in The Tribune on Dec. 24, titled “Don’t let the war on drugs lead to untreated pain.” His insightful letter is a rare ray of hope for people who responsibly use opioid medications under the care of medical professionals who specialize in pain management.

As a chronic pain sufferer in the care of a respectable pain management clinic, I live in dread every time I see a news article stating in an unqualified way how awful opioid drugs are. Not only are the medications maligned, but so are the medical professionals who administer them. I hear this anecdotally from the nurses and doctors whose care I am under at the pain management center I attend.

Those of us who suffer extreme pain rely on opioids in order to lead something approaching a normal life. For many, if opioids are made unavailable due to misuse and abuse by others, our productive lives are for all practical purposes over.

In the strongest terms, I urge everyone involved in the “War on Drugs” to heed Fine’s warning. Please do not interfere in the very lives of those of us suffering from debilitating pain and who rely on opioids in order to function in society. And please give the medical professionals involved in pain management the respect they deserve. They are saving lives.