I’m going to take a guess and say that Trump and Sessions will not jump right on this and do something. In fact, there will be references to “more study needed” or “freedom of speech.” These companies have been deliberately pushing an addictive product that they know will kill people, and cost states millions in health care costs, and result in jobs lost and families and lives destroyed. It’s time to start treating the officers and boards of directors like they would the biggest drug dealers and cartels in the world. Convict and put in jail, with $ billions in fines. (At least treat them as severely as Sessions would someone selling the dreaded marijuana.)
One important thing to remember is that the pro-opioid folks don’t even have to be acting in bad faith for this to work. If you give megaphones to everyone making points that might favor you (and do your best to turn down the volume for everyone saying things you don’t approve) even honest arguments can be turned to dishonest purposes.
We now know that the cigarette companies knew in the 1930s that cigarettes caused cancer and are addictive.
They nevertheless ran ads that 8 of 10 doctors smoked Camels. Actor Saint Ronnie Reagan did, too.
This is what got Big Tobacco and Big asbestos Manville in trouble: They KNEW the harm their products did, but continued to sell them without any warnings or caveats. Worse, they pretended they knew nothing.
Now, one would think that the opioid mfgs might have learned from this. Evidently not.