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Comment by bhaney | Hacker News Reader

> It seems bad to fix a problem that can be addressed by self control.

This argument applies similarly to the fentanyl crisis, since people could simply have the self control to not take fentanyl recreationally. Do you have a similar belief that the government shouldn't be trying to stop the mass import of fentanyl and other harmful drugs?

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Actually, yes. I think the government should be addressing the cost-of-living crisis, loneliness crisis, the high cost of health, the overprescription of opioids, and the cultural issues that all contribute to people opting for fentanyl in the first place.

If the government manages to stop fentanyl imports, people will simply either manufacture fentanyl locally or opt for other drugs. I agree that it's not a matter of self-control— a fentanyl addict can't simply will its way out of it— but there is a reason they chose to consume fentanyl in the first place, and despite knowing its effects, willingly chose to "escape reality".

Sure if the drugs aren't there to begin with can't take em. But also depends where you are/who you associate with which again if you're in the bad areas probably exposed more to drugs/less hope of getting out having a better life. I guess I'm fortunate I've only ever been exposed to/try the weaker stuff.

I really think people don’t understand where fent zombies come from. They don’t emerge spontaneously from cracks in the sidewalk. The streets are just the last stop on a long road. Network effect among the unseen webs of addiction is a vastly bigger issue — if there were 74k overdose fatalities in a year, imagine how many people didn’t OD, or OD’d but didn’t die. And out of that, imagine how many people are more casual users who aren’t that heavy into it just yet. These are big numbers and big chunks of our social networks. They just haven’t gotten to the last stop yet.

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