[jmh530]

The subtitle is "Should they be considered an “epidemic”" and it says in the article "We don’t often call alcohol or tobacco “epidemics,” even as we regularly use that same language for opioids that are linked to a fraction of the deaths from alcohol or tobacco.".

They are basically proposing to re-define epidemic. Traditionally, an epidemic is the rapid spread of something, usually a disease but not necessarily. Alcohol and tobacco have already rapidly spread. There's nowhere else for them to spread.

[24gttghh]

Feels like people are forgetting that Endemic is the perfect word for this sort of thing...They don't need to redefine epidemic; they need to use a more accurate word.

[oxide]

Im pretty sure it's criticism about the knee-jerk "emergency" declaration that has been nothing more than symbolic.