Old-Goat

The CDC places the risk of addiction with the long-term use of opioids at 0.07-6 percent:

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/rr/rr6501e1.htm

for no previous or current history of abuse/addiction, the percentage of abuse/addiction was calculated at 0.19%.:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18489635/

This Cochrane Institute has been called the most thorough review of all available studies on the efficacy of long term opioid treatment for non cancer pain, incorporating the results of 26 studies that followed 4200+ patients and puts the addiction rate at 0.27%. I will save you from posting each of the 26 studies:

https://www.cochrane.org/CD006605/SYMPT_opioids-long-term-treatment-noncancer-pain

I wont cite the well known Portnoy/Foley study that tracks patients over 4 years since Dr.Portnoy has done a 180 on his opinions on opioids after being named as a co-defendant in 3 opioid manufacturing lawsuits and will just remind you self preservation doesnt change statistical facts.

There are 2 reasons for the changes in the studies you cited. There is a huge misunderstanding of what addiction actually is and those who have a great deal of money invested in addiction treatment have been largely successful in renaming addiction Opioid Use Disorder. The definition of OUD contain normal conditions that happen to anyone who becomes physically dependent on a medication, such as abstinence syndrome (withdrawal) and drug tolerance. Ask any diabetic with changing insulin requirements about adjustments to dose and what happens when their insulin is not taken regularly. These are not symptoms of addiction. They might be symptoms of opioid use, but certainly not a disorder. It is a far cry from Opioid Abuse Disorder which should be the concern, since previous abuse is a definitive factor in developing an addiction. Do not make the mistake of assuming that all chronic pain patients on long term opioids are addicts. That would make me an addict (stable on the same dose for over 10 years) or a medical oddity, I assure you I am neither. The problem is the media is afraid to report that there is another side to opioids, they are caught up in the tear-jerking stories of addicts who can't admit they are responsible for their own circumstances. No addiction doctor making 30K every admission is going to sing the praises of pain management or tell the addict they really need to cure themselves. Addiction takes work and effort, often a great deal, it doesn't just happen. Even if the addiction rate of patients under medical supervision were a fantastical 25%, what about the 75% who are having their successful pain treatment ripped away because some idiot wants to get high? We just leave them to commit suicide to escape pain. Fair and imbalanced media, you gotta love it....

Why did you gasp? There are many studies that show the rate at less than 1% and the only ones that put it any higher are misquoted. There's one that puts it at 8%, but if you look at the source material, its 0.8%. So why are you so aghast? Do you have any material that puts it higher, or are you just going with your own personal beliefs?

You had better recheck the production statistics from the DEA and compare the drug shortages on the FDA website. When you cut production of anything by 20% every year eventually it will result in shortages. This year they cut production 20% at the start of the year and a further 30% mid year. Hospitals are running out, doctors are ignoring post surgical and even your precious cancer pain. To your knowledge...give me a break.

Do you feel any responsibilty towards all the people in pain who are unable to get pain treatment from doctors because of the opiate problem? They certainly understand loss when people lose loved ones to these drugs and it is tragic, but it is due to the poor choice they made in that first illicit use (which also means going outside the Rxing instructions). People in pain never had any choice in their circumstances. I'm sure it didnt matter while you were using, but does anyone give a damn about what it has done to people fighting legitimate pain? And can anything be done not to throw out the baby with the bath water? Or is it just not the addiction industry's problem? Or not something you feel qualified in commenting on? That is perfectly ok too.

There is no possibility they are just taking pain more seriously? A change in attitude on human suffering? The Human Rights Watch would disagree with you. Do you believe people in pain should just suffer endlessly or commit suicide? That seems to be what you are endorsing. Who in your family was dumb enough to get addicted to drugs and kill themselves, or do you just enjoy the thought of people in pain being unable to contribute to society?