Does it make you angry? Or are you and every other everyday working American just fatalistic about the whole gig?
I read all this stuff and I think ' what the hot holy hell is going ON over there?'
I'm not one of those half-assed Brits who have a down on all things American ( and have not only never been there but say things like 'Why would I want to?' )
I have visited a few times(DC , Philadelphia, Bragg, Texas) and worked with your lot in Iraq and later in AFG to some extent.
The contrast between the majority of 'ordinary' Joes and Josettas and the street people is hard to measure.
We have plenty of problems on this side too...but I really get the impression this issue is a major problem for you?
So WHO is addressing it at a Federal level?
I see you mention Philadelphia; there was an article published in a local publication in Philly around the time we were living in West Chester, just outside Philly, around 2012-13. It was about the fact that since the war on terror had started more people had died of drug related deaths and killings in Philly than had died in combat in the war on terror.
At a Federal level the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for allowing drugs to be sold and the DEA is responsible for the enforcement of of drug related legislation. Consider, the industry's related to health employ minimally two lobbyist's for every congressman sitting in the house in Washington, DC. Further consider, it was once said to me, "if you want to become a millionaire in two years just go and get yourself elected to Congress".......wonder why?
Moving on we have the disjointed nature of American law enforcement compared to the more joined up nature of the UK and European policing model I worked within. I, for example, live in what is called a city (what we would call a small town), around 7,000 to 8,000 'ish inhabitants, we have our own city police a magnificently sized force of some 65 officers. The city's surrounding us have similarly sized forces and to be honest all of them are more or less disinterested in crime, and from my professional observation would find it easier to catch a cold than a real criminal. The emphasis from the city mayor on most forces is for them to perform functions which show a presence to maintain law and order but also generate revenue for their respective city (small town), ie issuing tickets for vehicle offences and other small crimes which are contrary to city ordinances (what in the UK are called by laws).
Then we have the insurance driven healthcare system which is fine if you have a job and income. Which basically means that if you are in a low SEG, the group who seem to take Oxy, you are gently fucked.
Look at the root cause of why people take drugs in the first place: Lack of parental supervision. The main reason I followed a career fixing up houses rather than going into clever IT where my PhD was is that we, as a husband and wife, decided that one of us needed to be available for the kids at all times. She was earning mega-wonga so it fell to me. My lad comes home and tells me of his mates where both parents leave the house at 6.30hrs to 7.00hrs and do not get home until 18.00hrs - 19.00hrs at night. The kids finish school at 15.30hrs so they are traipsing around, messing around, and inevitably some get sucked into soft drugs - my lad tell's me this. When we are out and about in the town shopping he will see someone and say, "thats a druggy", or "he's a dealer at school". My cycnical plod attitude has rubbed off on him and he knows where they all hang out to get stoned, knows which school bogs (no security cameras allowed in the bog's) are used for dealing on which day of the week. We live in an affluent area so we have lot's of mum's who visit therapists, and the kids nick mum's happy pill's and sell them at school along with the wacky baccy. So multiply this as a problem across the US and you can see where the foundations for drug abuse are laid. Oh, and it is not just the affluent areas where it is a problem, I can go and see my ex-MARSOC mate across town where he lives in a more downmarket area and he has already pinged all the local problem idiots to make sure they stay away from his two.
Money, disorganisation disinterest.