I don't see anyone in this thread claiming this is acceptable. What some people are doing/saying is putting it in proportion: compared to things like cutting someone an arm loose (either intentionally, or unintentionally), murder, assault, and robbery this is far less bad. Because there's no permanent damage, and nothing was taken away. The initials even get removed over time. Is it bad? Oh yeah, it is, because the relationship between these 2 is professional and top down (doctor being authority on the matter, patient being sedated). I haven't seen anyone arguing this person shouldn't be punished.

> people grade things into "acceptable" levels of bad behaviour.

So I don't see anyone grading anything into acceptable levels of (bad) behaviour. Putting behaviour in proportion to find adequate punishment is part of the judiciary system which you can find back as working decently since trias politica invention.