Wow

According to this article, overdoses of painkillers are killing about 20,000 people per year in the U.S., far more than are murdered (about 12000) or die of AIDS (about 13000) and closing in on the number that commit suicide (41,000 in 2013), are killed in car accidents (about 33,000), and the like.  One of the more recent famous deaths was Prince, whose drug of choice apparently makes heroin look pretty mild in comparison.

I don't know that I would have gotten addicted, but it strikes me that this is a great time to say a public thank you to the nurses and doctors who monitored my painkiller use after I got my gallbladder out!