General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Medicare Is Cracking Down on Opioids. Doctors Fear Pain Patients Will Suffer. [View all]radius777
(3,635 posts)This is your typical moral panic (like with porn, pot, video games, music, etc) that punishes the many for the bad actions of a few. It's why even with the gun issue I tend to be wary of overreach, because once a society becomes based upon the moral panic-restriction dynamic, it radiates outward to every other issue.
Most of these drugs that get demonized - from benzos to stimulants to painkillers to medical marijuana - are perfectly safe, effective and affordable (generic or soon to be) medications that are used properly by most doctors/patients. The suffering they solve is exponentially greater than the suffering their misuse causes.
Outlawing or severely restricting these meds (that are essential for many) will mean that only outlaws and the elites will have access to them.