This may sound harsh but I am inclined to say, instead of sifting shit, cities might consider ways to find to decent jobs, housing and recreation for their citizens.
What else can be said? All this a product of the redistribution of wealth upward in an ostensibly wealthy society? What could possibly go wrong?
So don’t hold your breath.
But the problem with opioids is that they are slightly moreish.
Rats that live in interesting, healthy environments don't get addicted to opiates.
Don't let health care providers and pharma off the hook.
It's not just the Middle East, you can find a lot of other examples all over the world. So, no: not uniquely American at all.
This crisis has not happened in other western countries were money isn’t in full controll of politics.
Some well produced advert, showing happy people leaving full lives "ask your dr about this now", side effects may include <lighting fast and scary long list of nasty side effects.
Combined with a private health care, which I think makes people want to appear to be getting their money's worth. I see this with my wife and her family (from another country). They are visible happier when come back from the Drs with a big bag of drugs. The wife things UK Drs are no good as most of the time when she went she was told, rest, lots of fluid and take a paracetamol (tylenol?)
I've also read that poor labour conditions / welfare / unemployment pay / sick leave / holiday pay means in the US working poor cannot afford to be ill off work, so need strong painkillers to get through the pain and back to work.
The current US opiod disaster is the result of many factors