Let's also keep in mind that as recently as the 1970s doctors in the US often did not prescribe opioid medication, whatsoever. In some cases, even for terminall

Let's also keep in mind that as recently as the 1970s doctors in the US often did not prescribe opioid medication, whatsoever. In some cases, even for terminally ill patients. I think this made fertile ground for huge swing back that pharma got from prescribing it. The situation of such massive underprescribing allowed massive overprescribing, in a way.