Opioid
Part IV then connects insights about the political economy of public health regulation—including
the role of organizational rigidity, risk aversion, and lack of capacity—to the problems of opioid
misuse and addiction.
We explain why the mix of forces affecting the legal context governing opioid-related issues
results in a kind of "diluted regulatory governance."
We draw examples not only from battles over opioid policy but also from the American approach
to other addictive products, such as cigarettes.
We conclude by reflecting on tentative lessons that can be drawn from a more nuanced
understanding of the political economy of public health law.