http://thefillmoregazette.com/letters/april-22nd-2010

To the Editor:

Thank you for reporting on John Wilson. It saddens me that innocent people and their property were injured or harmed, but doubly so to see a once good man spiral down. John Wilson has long history in Ventura County, he was a pillar of the community, a paramedic, a good guy. Then he did a very bad thing by tampering with narcotics at the ambulance company and possibly the fire dept. He may admit to doing it for 1 year, but some wonder if he may have been doing it for far longer.

Do you know why he hasn't been indicted, faced trial, or spent substantial time behind bars yet?

It seems odd to me that someone could tamper-with drugs "for a year in what may be the largest case of its kind in California history," and be allowed to remain free and be a threat to the public. When Narcotics are tampered with, not only are patients pain needlessly not relieved, but they're also in danger of becoming sick from foreign contaminants.
The New England Journal of Medicine: Serratia marcescens Bacteremia Traced to an Infused Narcotic.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/346/20/1529

I don't want to see this man suffer, rather, I want to see him rehabilitated. The fact that he's still taking suboxone almost 2 years later, tells me that his addiction was very bad and he possibly isn't getting the best treatment or not sticking to the treatment. Our healthcare industry needs to do a better job of keeping our people healthy. Today it takes a big person to come forward and admit they have a problem with addiction.

Our system needs to be changed so you don't need to be a big person to come forward. Entry into the system that gets healthcare professionals rehabilitated from addiction needs to be made simpler and easier for those who would otherwise feel ashamed or fearful of coming forward. Many impaired healthcare professionals, like John, became that way after an accident, injury or other traumatic event. We owe them and the public they serve a first class system of rehabilitation. Let's create one now, before another knucklehead allows their addict thinking to justify tampering with the pain relievers reserved for the public we serve.

Bringing awareness of his situation to the citizens of Ventura County will greatly help our society as a whole.

Thank you,
Aimin Alton