And I'm not trying to change yours in 3 posts or less. That would be great, but that's not a realistic expectation and not something im emotionally invested in.
My use of the term "open borders" is the in favor term for the myriad interconnected issues that produce what we see today. (lack of border control measures (physical and people), catch and release into the US, selective law enforcement, encouragement of illegal immigration through incentivizing it and lack active work to create disincentives.
I can't quote any stats and don't want to devlove into an argument about which drug crisis is bigger (and i agree tha opioids are an issue). The only thing that i would offer is that the illicit drug trade has a whole bunch of other bad shit attached to it. Drugs in additon to killing Am Citizens directly provide income for cartels and gangs. Cartels destablize Mexico exacerbating the problem with border control. More powerful cartels = more human sex trafficking and other illegal stuf. Same with gangs. EDIT: The downstream effects of the ilicit drug trade within mexico are of biblical proportions. A "closed" border insulates mexico from the effects of the US's insatiable demand.
The focus on "the opioid crisis" has led to federal/state regulations that negatively impact care. Under-dosing of pain meds that legitmately should be given.
I personally have a prescription for a low level of something that is now super regulated that helps out the symptoms of my mTBI (etc.) I literally have to pay for a dr visit every 3 months to get my prescription refilled. I can do without it but my quality of life and productivity go way up when i take it. My Doctors told me that it's stupid and he he's fine with my dosage into perpetuity as long as i'm fine but his hands are tied he just can't put it on auto-renew like my other stuff.