I think a lot of rural/red area voters for Chump were/are drug addicts

[Brenda]

The Opioid Epidemic created a lot of fucked up people who probably watched his madman routine (saying horrible shit out loud whilst saying he was gonna fix our country) as just another hallucination to enjoy while high. I know there are other reasons: rich land owners, racism, isolationism, lack of education, ignorant religious nuts, etc.

But to me, it ain't a coincidence.

Opioid Overdose Deaths: National Trends and Variation by Demographics and States
Authors: Heather Saunders, Nirmita Panchal, and Robin Rudowitz
Published: Feb 24, 2026

Since the opioid epidemic was declared a public health emergency in 2017, it has claimed more than half a million lives. While the epidemic was initially driven by prescription opioids and heroin, it has evolved in recent years, to be dominated by illicit synthetic fentanyl—a substance significantly more potent than morphine. By 2023, most counterfeit opioid pills contained a deadly dose. As of 2022, nearly 1 in 3 adults reported in a KFF survey that they or a family member have been addicted to opioids (29%).

Leading up to and during the pandemic, opioid overdose deaths increased sharply. Deaths began to fall in mid-2023 and have continued to decline, though they remain above pre-pandemic levels. While it is not possible to identify a single driver of the decline, multiple policy actions may have contributed. These policies included efforts to expand access to treatment and overdose-reversal drugs and public awareness efforts about counterfeit opioid pills. They also included supply-side actions aimed at improving fentanyl detection at the ports and borders and limiting the flow of precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit fentanyl abroad. These efforts coincided with indicators of shifting fentanyl supply, including DEA testing that suggested lower fentanyl potency in counterfeit pills.

Despite progress, a range of more recent federal policy actions may affect future trends, including federal budget cuts, federal staffing reductions, and cuts to federal grants that support state and local programs; reduced Medicaid and Marketplace coverage; and a shift toward a more enforcement-focused approach, including the designation of illicit fentanyl as a “Weapon of Mass Destruction.” This analysis examines opioid overdose deaths over time – including 2024 (the latest finalized data available through CDC WONDER data) – and trends across demographic groups and states. Additional data can be found on KFF’s State Health Facts.

https://www.kff.org/mental-health/opioid-overdose-deaths-national-trends-and-variation-by-demographics-and-states/

[Norrrm]

1. Trump pardoned a fellow president who helped smuggle 400 tons of cocaine to America.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. .

The Opioid Epidemic created a lot of fucked up people who probably watched his madman routine (saying horrible shit out loud whilst saying he was gonna fix our country) as just another hallucination to enjoy while high.

What the fuck is this shit right here.

[Brenda]

4. Uh, you haven't experienced Opioid reality eh?

My neighbor was the neighbor from Hell and I finally realized it was meth that made our neighborhood unsafe, and loss of life and pet life make us HATE those people.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. Uh, you haven't experienced actual physical addiction as a reality, eh?

People who are addicted don't get high for fun or entertainment. Also meth isn't an opioid.

[JustKay]

3. Who do you think flooded the streets with these addictive drugs?

Pharmaceutical companies protected and encouraged by Republicans. It's just part of the plan. Divide and conquer, and if you can make $35 billion dollars every year doing it, all the better!