Why Are We Still Allowing Outrageous Amounts Of Opioid Prescriptions?

Haven't we seen this all before? According to the Sacramento Bee, there were five California counties where the number of opioid prescriptions actually outnumbered the number of residents of the county. In northern California, Trinity, Lake, Shasta, Tuolumne, and Del Norte counties all had more prescriptions than people. Unsurprisingly, increased opioid prescriptions are correlated within increased opioid addiction and deaths.

We have seen a similar situation in West Virginia, Ohio, Oklahoma, and other rural areas around the country. To have this occur, it takes the acquiescence  and essentially the greed of the pharmaceutical companies, the prescription drug providers, and doctors. With all that we know about the opioid crisis, how is this kind of situation allowed to continue? There seems to be no oversight at the state level and, under Trump, it is getting the minimal attention at the federal level. Meanwhile, the doctors and monopolies on the pharmaceutical industries will continue to get rich addicting and killing Americans who need real help.