Pain is one of the most common reasons people consult a physician. Yet it frequently is inappropriately treated. In the last several years, health-policymakers, health professionals, regulators, and the public have become increasingly interested in the provision of better pain therapy and in the reduction of drug diversion and addiction. However, there is currently no nationally accepted consensus for the treatment of chronic pain not due to cancer. The trend is to adopt laws and guidelines that specifically recognize the use of opioids to treat intractable pain. These statements serve as indicators of increased public awareness of the sequelae of undertreated pain and help clarify that the use of opioids for the relief of chronic pain is a legitimate medical practice. Due to concerns about drug misuse, diversion and addiction, and regulatory scrutiny, physicians may want guidance as to what principles should generally be followed when prescribing opioids for chronic or recurrent pain states. Regulators have also expressed a need for guidelines to help them to distinguish legitimate medical practice from questionable practice and to allow them to appropriately concentrate investigative, educational, and disciplinary efforts, while not interfering with legitimate medical care.

If you are interested to know more about pain management The American Academy of Pain Medicine offers these Statements on the Use of Opioids for the Treatment of Chronic Pain in this article

http://www.painmed.org/files/use-of-opioids-for-the-treatment-of-chronic-pain.pdf