Dr. Lynn Webster, Senior Fellow at CUSP, explains why America’s focus on reducing the supply of prescription opioids has failed to resolve the drug overdose crisis. By ignoring the underlying demand for relief, which he notes is driven by poverty, trauma, and mental illness, the strategy only shifted the problem, pushing vulnerable patients from the medical system into a more lethal illicit market. Dr. Webster contends that prevention must move beyond supply-side restrictions to prioritize comprehensive, compassionate care, including accessible addiction treatment, robust mental health services, and the rebuilding of social support systems.
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