I've been on oxy for the past 30 or so years. A long time. I've seen govt regs ebb and flow. If they're being prescribed and you take as directed, yes, you build up some tolerance. But there is no cure or real 'treatment' for arthritis. Docs will be happy to send you for next to useless treatments. There's way more $$ in that than prescribing meds. Opiates can be abused. But frankly the vast majority of opiate abuse we all read about concern street versions, particularly street fentanyl. That homemade crap varies in strength and impurities so a user never really knows what they're getting. Find a local pain clinic. You'll sign some documents and have to go back regularly, or video calls, and they'll maintain and monitor your TC's.