Every morning, in towns and cities across the United States, lines begin to form at methadone clinics well before the sun fully rises. People with opioid use disorder shuffle in for their daily dose of a medication that, while intended to save their lives, has become a lightning rod for criticism and controversy. Somewhere behind these quiet scenes, corporate balance sheets bulge, government funds flow, and the question lingers: Is America truly seeking to help those caught in the devastating grip of opioid addiction—or has the nation’s healthcare system prioritized profit over compassion? The answer, many argue, is that a cycle of dependence has been painstakingly preserved, even as the death toll from opioid-related overdoses climbs year after year. This is a story of misguided priorities, misplaced funds, and the glaring gap between what could be done to alleviate a crisis and what is actually happening.
