Abstract
In a society which is drug-orientated yet is committed to a ‘War on Drugs’, guidelines for prescribing narcotic analgesics are marked by division and inconsistency. A fear of engendering an addiction leads to anxiety in doctors about prescribing these analgesics and to the inadequate treatment of pain. The concept of ‘addiction’ is derived from an essentially moralistic view of drug use, and serves as a barrier to effective treatment of chronic non-malignant pain. A biopsychosocial approach to disease provides a better basis for treatment of this type of pain.