Egad!

"Preliminary data for 2016 indicate at least 64,000 drug overdose deaths, the highest number ever recorded in the U.S.," Deborah Houry of the Centers for Disease Control told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday. By the CDC's estimate, more than 300,000 people have died from opioid overdoses since 2000.That is an extraordinary amount of suffering endured by a relatively small user population. And it's largely a result of bad policy combined with inaction.

It is mostly government dollars buying and prescribing the pills.  The 300,000 is about 20% of the missing male labor force.    Government entitlement fees drive up the margin needed to hire many of these folks.