Read this article from Atlantic magazine by Alana Semuels, "Are Pharmaceutical Companies to Blame for the Opioid Epidemic?".

Reply to this post with the answers to the questions below. Please see discussion board posting guidelines for posting criteria.

1. Applying what you've read in your text for this week and what you learned in the reading above, how has the medical industry contributed to the opioid epidemic today?

2. Compare and contrast the crack epidemic of the 1980s with the current opiod epidemic discussed in this article. Which is understood as an 'illness' and which is 'criminal'? What social forces shaped the definition of these two epidemics?

3. Which one of the three sociological frameworks (conflict, structural functionalism or symbolic interactionism) do you think is best to use for understanding the social forces behind the current opioid epidemic? Why? Be specific and thorough in your response.