I understand your approach to this issue and can definitely relate. Opiods are not so hard to acquire in certain states and therefore a prominent danger for some.

I believe this source will provide you more context to the current reinforcement process on opioids.
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/marilyn-bulloch-pharmd-bcps/2019/02/opioid-prescribing-limits-across-the-states

Opioids may help people but there are other ways to cope with severe pain like using herbal therapies or traditional medicines, that are safer and less addictive. We can see opioid addictions lead people to harm themselves to receive more prescribed opioids. Why use harmful substances to relieve pain when there are safer options and methods that have been used for years to relieve pain. https://www.mskcc.org/blog/kratom-what-research-tells-us-about-controversial-supplement. This article speaks about kratom, a herd found in southeast Asia, and how it has pain relieving properties similar to opioids.

I like this article. It’s interestingly fun to read and you learn a lot about where the word Yellowstone comes from. But you don’t necessarily get the history of Yellowstone. Besides that I love this article.