[msufan]

This is fantastic. So many times we try to address symptoms like opioid abuse and poverty instead of attacking root causes like a lack of opportunity and jobs. It's fun to see how infrastructure improvement like this can change lives.

[xenocyon]

Opioid abuse is not a "symptom" created by lack of jobs. Where did you get that from?

[imgabe]

It is. People with hope in their lives and something to work for don't try to numb themselves with drugs.

[caspper69]

This is just not true man. I want it to be true. It looks good on paper. But let me tell you... People will waste their lives on drugs, alcohol, sex and all number of vices whether there's a good job available or not. Happily. And they'll spit in your face, lie, cheat & steal all while telling you everything you want to hear. Some people just suck, and there will always be this group of people, opportunity & prosperity be damned.

[vastoi]

This paper indicates a relationship between a lack of economic opportunity and opioid addiction: https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/pdf/259261/ASPEEconomicOpp...

I understand that you may have strong personal feelings about individuals who use drugs but I would encourage you to not make claims based exclusively on those.

[ScottBurson]

There will, indeed, always be those people. But there will also be people who want to make good lives for themselves and their families, if they can only see a way to do that.

I'd bet there are more of the latter.

[xenocyon]

It has a lot more to do with pain management than jobs.