New opiod laws and the damage done

I believe there’s a serious downside to the new, stricter laws on doctors prescribing opioids. A member of my family stopped drinking 25 years ago and greatly reduced her use of tobacco. After having her prescription for opioids reduced by half, the unbearable pain has led her back to heavy use of both. Is this progress? People with a legitimate need for opioids are being hurt. Those who have ben abusing it recreationally will find a source anyway.
Here’s a quote from a doctor:
https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/opioids/viewpoints-2-physicians-on-the-pros-cons-of-opioid-prescribing-limits.html
Halena M. Gazelka, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine and practitioner of pain medicine at 2018 Minnesotabased Mayo Clinic, believes limits on prescriptions will do more harm than good.
"It goes without saying that opioids should be prescribed in the smallest quantity necessary to address the clinical need, but government limits on the ability ofphysicians to decide the appropriate use of opioids for their patients aren't the answer," Dr. Gazelka wrote. "They could end up doing more harm than good, by depriving millions of people of the pain relief they desperately,and legitimately, need."