There are, currently, two theories as to the origins of the opioid crisis in the United States. They are:
1] The political dominance of the pharmaceutical industry lobby and the 'cultural propensity' of Americans to heavily medicate themselves, (the consequence of not having a coherent and efficient public healthcare system) !?
2] A more comprehensive evaluation of the phenomenon concentrates on the the collapse of a productive economy and wages for working Americans. Therefore, the opioids being consumed are not just addressing physical pain but are a nihilistic 'prop' to help working Americans deal with the loss of income, living standards, identity and emotional despair.
In general, the political establishment on Capitol Hill accept the first theory. That allows them to continue taking money from the pharmaceutical sector and waste resources trying to deal with the
consequences of the opioid epidemic, rather than treating its causes.
Capitol Hill wishes to ignore the second explanation because it implicates the political class in the socio-economic conditions that created the crisis, in the first place.
Like all political classes in advanced democracies, they are intellectually perverted and morally bankrupt. And they're massive cowards, too.
From my perspective, I think there is a deeper, more fundamental, cultural issue. America tends to value its citizenry as
economic beings.
Working Americans operating as wage slaves and consuming drones have values attached to them, i.e. a 'credit ratings'. Unfortunately, this is a fantastically ignorant cultural view of humans that ignores the dominant characteristic of the species: that we're all
social beings, first!
Therefore, America has created a moribund, debt spewing, rentier economy that undermines working Americans and fails to appreciate them for who and what they are.
The opioid epidemic is evidence of a multi-layered cultural and intellectual crisis in America. Its a flawed view of human society, combined with a failed rentier economy, political domination of American democracy by lobby interests, i.e. 'big pharma' and a political class too conceited, corrupt and cowardly to admit their shortcomings. Adding to the brew of angst, alienation and resentment ... throw in a virulent dose of
postmodern identity theory and you have the 'perfect storm'.
I have no idea where America is heading in the 21st century. However, the road sign that she has driven past seems to read "To Hell, In A Handcart" . . .
http://equitablegrowth.org/equitablog/value-added/the-opioid-crisis-a-consequence-of-u-s-economic-decline/