@FermentedAgave. A big part of the reason the opioid crisis hit white areas harder is because drug dealers figured out if the avoided black communities they avoid police surveillance. We really are one country and our issues deserve a more serious and thoughtful approach.
It also helps to have licensed MD’s as drug pushers and no real control that I know of to control overprescription by licensed MD’s of any medication. Cough - > Cough medicine. Pain -> Ibuprofen. Intense pain -> Opioid.
I also had a friend back in 1990 who was a paramedic and got fired for stealing Opioids from the locker. I don’t think there is any kind of national “black list” for Paramedics so I assume he just went to another state and got his license there. I don’t even know if his former employer could reveal the reason for him being fired to new potential employers without risk of being sued. In my experience the most employers will say is “fired with cause”.
Also add to it that it’s not illegal to combine opioids and alcohol, so that semi-legal bottle of pain meds can be multiplied 10 times by just drinking a six pack first.