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(THE CONVERSATION) Drug overdose deaths, once rare, are now the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., surpassing peak annual deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents, guns and HIV infection.

As a former public health official, clinician and researcher, I’ve been engaged in efforts to control the opioid addiction epidemic for the past 15 years.

The data show that the situation is dire and getting worse. Until opioids are prescribed more cautiously and until effective opioid...