DEA takes down another doctor

A really good LTE in a small newspaper from a rural town in NY state.

Dr. James Latimer's Madrid practice will be closed as a result of allegations by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the refusal of acting District Attorney Gary Miles to except any result other than the surrender of Dr. Latimer's medical license.

As the writer points out, the doctor has been working at an honest practice and serving his community with long hours out of professional concern and not for financial gain. He has many options where he could making more money for less work. Are we to believe to believe the DEA's contention that this man is a drug kingpin?

The laws and the trial system for these erroneous charges are skewed to the DEA's benefit and the only practical option for a doctor in this plight is to shut down his practice. The doctor suffers inconvenience of course but it's the innocent patients who will suffer from the lack of pain practitioners, who pay the greater price. How does that benefit society?

Update: The doctor's colleagues largely agree that he should not have been prosecuted. The article also notes the good doctor had about 4,000 patients, many of whom did not have insurance. He saw them anyway. Not too many private doctors that dedicated to their practice these days.

[hat tip to JackL]