Opium has a long history of abuse and moral decay. Wars and corruption have followed narcotics. Unrestricted drug use at the turn of this century had disastrous consequences. The powerful image of abuse and an exaggerated fear of side effects have lead to an unfortunate under utilization of narcotic analgesics for comfort and symptom control at all stages of life. Unrelieved pain is evil.
Pain relief is easy.
The applications of these simple statements has yet to extend beyond the hospice movement. In later centuries, Christians tried to emulate that pain as a way to control the low instincts of the body - wearing uncomfortable clothing, taking hard journeys, or whipping themselves. Pleasure, thought of as the opposite of pain, has generally been seen more as a co-conspirator. Medieval Christians thought that seeking pleasure was sin, and prevented realizations of the spiritual self. Many thought that pain was a method to chastise or control pleasure, which was seen as a low animal instinct.