Because of the hysteria and resulting "OMG DO SOMETHING," the US government has turned it from an opioid (pill) epidemic to a fentanyl and heroin epidemic. Of course the latter is much more difficult (if not impossible) to control, and much, much more dangerous. So as a result of "OMG DO SOMETHING," the US government did probably the worst thing they could have possibly done.

If only there was a long and ugly drug war we could have used to reflect on the success or failure of the US government and it's attempt to control drug use. /s

Every decade, there is a new boogieman drug, just like there is a boogieman -ism. Anarchism, Communism, Satanism, Terrorism. Reefers, LSD, Huffing, Cocaine, Crack, Meth, Nicotine, Jenkem, Pills, Heroin. I have no conclusions to draw, but it is an interesting phenomenon.

Here's how the current battle of the drug war is going.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/o...

That seems pretty obvious to me.

Back in the 70s, I recall that marijuana became less available, and more expensive, for a year or so. So we switched to other drugs. More acid. Cocaine. Various sedatives. And of course, alcohol.