Originally Posted by
dissimulo
Opioids are no more the cause of the opioid epidemic than antibiotics are the cause of infections. People seek out opioids for a variety of reasons, from chronic pain to lives filled with mental anguish. Drug wars always attempt to win by choking out the supply, when they should try to reduce the demand. I guess reducing the demand looks too much like helping people (entitlements!) instead of stuffing them into prisons so that they can learn to become more competent criminals. It's all stupid and I have no hope that we will do anything but continue to maximize stupidity because it is too easy and tempting for people who aren't addicted to drugs to feel like superior beings.