[jasode]

>Can anyone explain why opioids are still being sold and prescribed?

If you take a look at the various alternatives for pain medication: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analgesic

... you'll see that every pain drug has tradeoffs and opioids are still often the "best" solution even though it has potential for abuse and addiction.

- acetaminophen/aspirin like Tylenol/Excedrin and ibuprofen like Advil are not addictive but they can only treat mild pain

- local anesthesia can eliminate sensation of severe pain but it only lasts a few hours and also causes localized numbness and paralysis. This means you're not functional. So hypothetically trying to use it for knee pain will mean the person can't even walk around.

The ineffectiveness of alternatives means doctors and patients will keep relying on opioids until science comes up with something better.