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Because they can be safe and effective for treating some conditions if used cautiously.

Not every opiate has the issues OxyContin does.

OxyContin is not significantly more (or less) addictive or dangerous than other opiates. The problem with it is that it has been marketed by Purdue as 'safe', and that it is over-prescribed. I recommend the book Pharma by Gerald Posner, which goes into this in excruciating detail - but well worth a read.

In its original formulation, the extended release oxycontin could be easily crushed without losing much potency. Other opiates have long had measures to combat this; fentanyl, for example, is frequently prescribed in patch form; extended-release morphine turns to an unusable gel if you crush it.

Purdue's sales practices are important, yes, but the impact all this has had on pain patients is severe; attitudes like "why is fentanyl legal" and the comment that started this thread are hurting people with real medical needs.

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