[BurningFrog]

40 of 2700 is 1.5% of deaths. If those are people decades younger than normal deaths, it will bring the numbers down. Not by several years, but by a decimal or two.

> Opioids do not generally cause a person to transition from healthy to unhealthy (they are prescribed to treat a preexisting condition).

This is a very naive view.

People start taking opioids in many different paths, legal and illegal. Some lie to get the prescription, no one can prove you don't have back pain. Some get a prescription after surgery and get addicted that week.

The super informative and well written book to read is Dreamland: https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epidem...