Since my local paper wrote about the over 500 yearly deaths in the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater area over two years ago I have been calling the reporters at the St. Pete Times concerning the culture of drugs "dumber than 5th graders".  After the chilling report of deaths, the St. Pete Times followed up with a full article that expounded on the merits of pain management.  A quote from the article was:  "How could I not be giving my patients opiates?" says VanDercar,  "I'm managing chronic pain. If it controls the person's pain and lets them have a life, why not?"   http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/24/Worldandnation/The_politics_of_pain.shtml      Dr. David VanDercar was a featured doctor in the February 24, 2008 article.

Subsequent articles in the paper have always included a positive statement or quote coming from  the pain management industry.  The same industry that uses "narcotics and urine testing" as their medical tools.

At the April 1 "BanOxyContin Rally" in Tampa, the demonstration coincidentally took place a block from VanDercar's office.  During the demonstration we heard from people who walked up to us to tell us how easy it was to get narcotics from VanDercar.  We did not verify the statements, however, they clearly confirmed the bias the radio show has about the judgment the St. Pete Times used in "promoting" a doctor who the radio show considers dangerous to the community. 

Fast forwarding to today, the County Commission for Pinellas County Florida recently unanimously passed an ordinance that would create a moratorium on the opening of new pain clinics.  The county already has over sixty registered clinics from records kept by the state. 

The St. Pete Times, on May 6th, published a favorable editorial of support for the County Commissioner's decision.  The editorial depicted the damage and destruction the pain clinics are creating in the Pinellas County community.  However, the most notable aspect of the editorial was not printed.  There was not one word about the "legitimate" doctors in the industry.  For the first time, the St. Pete Times did not publish a positive word about the industry that is creating dependency, addiction and death.  Is it possible my local home town paper finally gets it?