The funding of time-released medication technology is what STARTED the epidemic. Specifically, Purdue's Oxycontin. The initial justification for wide-spread prescription of oxy was that it was not addictive BECAUSE it was designed for time-delayed release. Which, of course, was a HUGE lie and they fucking knew it.

Time-delayed opiates (the best example is methadone) are actually the worst imo. The longer the time-delay....the longer the withdrawal period. So something like heroin or percocet are immediate release. They hit the brain as soon as you take it but the effects don't last as long. Withdrawals mirror the time release....so when you're coming off an opiate with a short time release (intense high, short time period of effects)....the withdrawals coincide (highly intense withdrawal, short time period). So withdrawing from heroin could be estimated around 7 to 10 days with high intensity of symptoms. Withdrawing from methadone could be estimated at around 6 to 8 weeks with a low intensity of withdrawal symptoms. Not everyone agrees...but I'd take the fast, intense withdrawal over the long one ten times over.