Résumé
Opium and its derivatives have been widely used for centuries by humans and societies to control pain, but these substances are covered by a poison/remedy duality, particularly observed since the end of the 20th century in the West and in the United States with an unprecedented addiction epidemic. This thesis first discusses the complex mechanisms of pain physiology and presents pain treatments, focusing on the pharmacological class of opioids, which is particularly difficult to use due to the numerous problems of tolerance and dependence. Finally, the unique situation of the United States will be assessed in parallel to France, to compare the American and French health care systems, particularly in terms of recommendations and regulation of drug promotion, in order to understand the mechanisms that influenced this crisis.