Over at Hit & Run, Jacob Sullum writes up last night’s episode of “House.” Not only was it a pretty good one — finally ending the whole Tritter/House-getting-busted-for-pain-killers plot in a clever way — it’s a politically daring one.

Instead of House learning the error of his ways (that is, taking ridiculous amounts of Vicodin to overcome chronic pain), he finds a way to get the government off his back while holding on to his life-and-career-saving habit.

One of the most remarkable things about “House” as a series is that one of its major plots — really, its central plot — has constituted a sustained defense of drug use. It’s a pretty big departure from the Just Say No ’80s (and ’90s), and I’m surprised there hasn’t been more outcry.

I guess it’s only nipples that get people excited these days. (That came out wrong.)