[Wally_Kalbacken]

60 Minutes is following its usual black hat/white hat dichotomy of bad guys and good guys in a given situation. I’m not sure how much the pharmaceutical companies are at fault, but you really have to look at the recreational drug users who never were in pain, never had surgeries, never really needed it, but still went to great lengths to seek out and then abuse these substances. Almost every journalistic treatment of this subject almost immediately absolves the users. And that group (users) resolves down into a spectrum of groups, some of which deserve sympathy, others which do not. But for 60 Minutes, its the usual sinister corporation in the black hat.

[Joe Dallas]

Just like the crack epidemic of the 1980’s, the opioid epidemic is the fault of the users, and not the fault of the government or any corporation.

[pepsionice]

There is one different aspect to this issue....it’s a legal drug (unlike Meth, crack, cocaine, etc). So all of these folks with long-term back-pain found their wonder drug....all legal in nature.

As you look at the usage issue....even the people with pain came to discover that as they used for long-term, it became less effective, and they had to double-up on the wonder drug. This is how the pain-clinics in Florida popped up and helped to hand out additional prescriptions and gave people as much as they wanted.

[familyop]

"I’m not sure how much the pharmaceutical companies are at fault, but you really have to look at the recreational drug users who never were in pain, never had surgeries, never really needed it, but still went to great lengths to seek out and then abuse these substances. Almost every journalistic treatment of this subject almost immediately absolves the users."

Crystal clear and true. Those of us who've worked with or otherwise listened to many young people between their teens and thirties have seen that many of those who have problems with the harder drugs (including opioids) were already smoking weed and drinking.

Currently, many of them wear it, too, with odd hair styles, tattoos, body jewelry, etc.--especially young women. Obesity and sedentary living also cause injuries and conditions that reinforce excuses for getting more prescriptions. At least some of the doctors try to wean them incrementally away from the drugs, but it seems that few or none are advocating exercise or secured rehab centers.

When or if deleterious effects on sober neighbors are severe enough, more voters will want rough, invasive and rapidly effective solutions (examples: truly random, surprise drug testing for applicants and employees, reversals of legalization, more arrests and convictions). For the time being, most non-addict residents are trying to avoid any conflicts or other attention (cowering in fear) despite the destruction of some of their children, grandchildren, thefts, etc.