There are several reason why I cannot follow your path for "legal" drugs. First, most doctors are loathe to provide long term pain management solutions, and even if I could find one, the cost would be outrageous and the hassle of dealing with the office visits and pharmacies would soon drive me away.

Second, I've tried Ritalin and it simply does not last long enough for what I need it to do. I know what works for me and I was very successfully self-medicating myself, and for the first time in a decade I was able to function at a very high level and be comfortable enough to find peace and even happiness.

Street drugs are killing me? No my friend...what's killing me is a criminal justice system and a society that has branded me undesirable and unhireable just because I use substances that they don't think I can handle.

[edit] I am fully aware that most of the readers here are going to pompously laugh at my assertions that I could somehow successfully medicate myself with "street drugs", and even use that as de facto proof that I am insane and/or a hopeless junkie to disregard my situation.

You of course have every right to make such judgements because I too know of many individuals whom are totally unable to function while taking these substances. However, I implore you to not lump me into that group so quickly, and to at least listen with an open mind to the substance of my rants...