[cuckcuckspruce]

Not only that, the response to the opiate epidemic has negative impacts on people actually in pain.

My girlfriend, who has lupus and constant pain, was recently denied pain medication because the doctor was concerned that continuing to write prescriptions for opiates would cost him his license. So my girlfriend has been in excruciating, 9/10 pain for the last month because doctors are too concerned about over-prescribing because every soccer mom is suddenly concerned that responsible adults in pain are suddenly going to turn into opiate crazed monsters.

As much as addicts need help, the feeling of the general population is that it's better for someone in pain to suffer than for someone to get a safe, known, pure quantity of opiates without having a good enough reason.