The latest drug epidemic was caused by the pharma industry hooking people on oxy, and then the government clamping down on legal supply. Addicted people are still addicted and will get their fix. We just forced people into expensive black markets filled with cut product.
And actually, when you have people going to the black market for relatively benign things like weed, mushrooms, coke, ecstasy, etc, you expose them to these things getting cut with opioids, and developing an addiction they may never have intended. Why? Because it's profitable for drug dealers to have addicted customers.
The more interesting question to me is why you think prohibition still suddenly start working.
And actually, when you have people going to the black market for relatively benign things like weed, mushrooms, coke, ecstasy, etc, you expose them to these things getting cut with opioids, and developing an addiction they may never have intended. Why? Because it's profitable for drug dealers to have addicted customers.
The more interesting question to me is why you think prohibition still suddenly start working.