I’m not saying that chronic pain isn’t real or shouldn’t be treated, but many of the abusers are “drug seeking” patients who go to different doctors to get prescriptions and many of the doctors are illegally prescribing the drugs. Opioids also end up on the black market and definitely they all aren’t bought legally.

Also, it is public knowledge that the government looked the other way and protected drug growers in South America in the 80s because it was more concerned with the Cold War.