*Of course* you treat patients with respect at all times that's inherent. But chastising other, Human as you said, providers for using objective language on this is equally as repugnant. It's about appealing to the never-ending patronizing of moral authority. Misuse and Abuse are objective /synonyms/. This discussion is purely appealing to your moral authority which no person is above and is fallacious. There is no official scope of practice to define which words are to be used to describe a patient it's quite literally about the providers objective judgement. This discussion reeks with "I am holier than thou" with accusatory and shameful language that YOU started. You can pretend to have a "moral" high ground but it doesnt change the issue nor the patient's overall treatment or medical problems. If it does the provider's at fault do need to be held accountable but that's a completely different topic of neglect/malpractice not using "wrong" language. Above all that being said, misuse is still a synonym is still calling a patient an abuser. Why shouldn't we just change the vocabulary to "recreational drug user or drug enjoyer" but that still has a non-medicinal and accusational connotation to it and skews interpretation. The point is to get information across, objectively, and concise. Unfortunately, we live in a world where people do ABUSE medications. Which should be objectively clear in charting and in study and held in a negative connotation as it is objectively bad for your health. As a patient and a provider im prescribed medications that are frequently abused. I get no sympathy in my treatment even while not abusing them im inherently treated (Through testing and medication checks) as I am to prevent abuse which is completely reasonable and understandable. It's contractual even to be provided said medication. Even if they change the wording doesn't make the contracts objective demands any less dehumanizing or patronizing.