Regardless of how we respond, a considerable amount of damage has already been done. From the article, it is estimated that the number of current addicts in Ohi

Regardless of how we respond, a considerable amount of damage has already been done. From the article, it is estimated that the number of current addicts in Ohio is equivalent to the population of Akron, one of Ohio's bigger towns. This has already wrought havoc on the communities - it's unclear to me whether they would recover even if we could snap our fingers and dispel everyone's addiction instantly. Family members have died, social ties have been altered or destroyed, jobs lost, credit ruined, savings spent, homes foreclosed, and so on.