First of all, constant use of the term "epidemic" starts us off on the wrong foot. "Epidemics" have causality independent of the afflicted. Nobody goes out to get meningitis, never mind searching desperately for meningitis in dangerous streets in the middle of the night.
Secondly, the vectors of epidemics are not cultivated by the population in danger. Nobody in the cities of Europe devastated by the Black Death kept, and spread about, pet wharf rats.
Thirdly, the "epidemic" meme redirects our attention to "doctors", "Red Chinese", "the border", "the war on drugs", or whatever your preferred target may be, instead of where it belongs - addicts and their illegal suppliers.
In a healthy society, you could leave 55 gallon drums of fentanyl open on every street corner and not have a problem.
Totally agree, calling addiction a “disease” is just one more thing that enables addicts and teaches society that they’re not responsible for their actions. Nobody puts a gun to your head and makes you hit the pipe. It’s not the doctors’ fault, it’s their weak ass.