And almost without exception, every one of those "victims" made a conscious CHOICE to take the risk of death. Stupid is as stupid does!
You have touched on a very significant aspect of an opioid's sabotage of the brain. New research has isolated one aspect of the biochemical effects: reduced loss aversion. This chemically induced pathway alteration creates decision-making deficits that result in a dramatic lack of judgment and a dramatically reduced concern for the consequences of ones actions. This action in itself facilitates the user’s decision to maintain their habit even when they are aware of the most negative consequences. This deficit causes a series of other complications: impaired self-control, impaired impulse control, the inability to plan for the future and long term memory loss. With these findings, it mystifies me why that information is not out and the drums to rid these biochemical poisons from society are not played.