Drug induced homicide outsources responsibility for overdoses to racially code "dealers"

The sympathy given to white opioid users is not extended to black and brown users, leading to a harsher approach to drug dealers who are often people of color. This reinforces racially coded belief that problems among white people are social issues but not natural occurrences. Dealers in black and brown communities are viewed in a more naturalized manner, with less explanations. Drug-induced homicide prosecution cases exist where people are charged with homicide even when only sharing drugs with someone who fatally overdoses.