reply to this discussion, what are your thoughts?

I believe all three administrations rose to the occasion and did their best at the time. Twenty years have passed, and this country still has a drug epidemic, and I am not sure we are closer to getting a grasp on the problem. Narcotic addiction is like so many other addictions and is cyclical, and supply is driven by demand. Treatment should be organized at the federal level, with insurance companies required to cover all policy holders’ treatment. Medicare and Medicaid must also pay for narcotic addiction treatment inpatient or outpatient. Nurses are on the front line and can make a difference by educating our patients and family members on the proper use of narcotics and alternative pain relief.