Purdue Pharma was convicted of fraud in connection with OxyContin, but then the US government made a deal with Purdue to allow it to continue selling the drug. Rudy Giuliani obtained this deal for Purdue.

It seems that OxyContin's special characteristics are responsible for the current problem of opioids. Some of it could have been prevented, if not for that deal.

There is no justification for lurching to the other extreme and making the less dangerous approved opioid medicines so hard to get.