All these links are wapo internal. I can't find the CDC corroborating this.

It looks like the authors are comparing numbers from different methodologies and then claiming a quantitative rank order can be deduced and it can't unless you can demonstrate the methodologies yield equivalencies especially when you're looking at small population percentages...

I had a good friend lose a multi-year battle with opioids about 7 years ago who ended up sleeping on my couch for months when his family had abandoned him. It's a life changing and terrible thing and I've never been through anything more difficult than helping someone struggling with opioids but I don't think these claims in the article are well supported.

I wish nothing but the best for others going through these troubles. I wish compassion worked as better medicine