North Carolina Cops Want Private Medical Information

From the Newsobserver.com: Sheriffs in North Carolina want access to state computer records identifying anyone with prescriptions for powerful painkillers and other controlled substances.
The state sheriff's association pushed the idea Tuesday, saying the move would help them make drug arrests and curb a growing problem of prescription drug abuse. But patient advocates say opening up people's medicine cabinets to law enforcement would deal a devastating blow to privacy rights.
Allowing sheriffs' offices and other law enforcement officials to use the state's computerized list would vastly widen the circle of people with access to information on prescriptions written for millions of people. As it stands now, doctors and pharmacists are the main users. Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/08/669723/lists-of-pain-pillpatients-sought.html#ixzz0z6TmBvo7
As a user of pain medication for hip and back problems, I find this offensive. And what about the HIPPA law, where it guarantees privacy to patients?
One one occasion, I have been approached by a Las Vegas cop or undercover operative to buy my pain medication from me and I was pissed and I damned near took on the person and would have beaten the crap out of the person if I had been a person of violence. I wonder where they got the information?
So, where does this end? Do the cops want psychiatric information about people with mental illnesses? Do cops want information about people who are on any kind medication?
The cops do not need to know this information and should not have this information. People have rights, but apparently the cops in North Carolina don't believe in that. Cops need to make case the old fashion way- hard work and leg work. They don't need to be accessing personal health information from a computer and the state should not even have a state wide computer system that has this information.
Patient rights. nahhhh