Of late, there has been a significant drop in the stock prices of pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and distribute hydrocodone, a highly potent opioid painkiller, following the increased regulatory restrictions and the growing concerns over opioid addiction and abuse. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have implemented stricter guidelines for prescribing hydrocodone, leading to a decline in its demand and sales. Moreover, the rising number of lawsuits against these pharmaceutical companies for their role in the opioid epidemic has further contributed to the stock drop.