“45,000 new Drug addicts is a pretty good kickstart to a disease with a logistical growth curve.”
Courtwright confirms (https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VxUuPa3cnLMC) the DEA’s numbers in showing that opiate addiction declined after 1890.
Well he and Musto, David F. ((1973). The American Disease: Origins of Narcotic Control. Yale Univ. pages 3-5.) need to get together and hash it out, because David F. Musto says opium usage was peaking in 1896.
Also I didn't see any quotes to support your claim at the site to which you provided the link.