The lede:

Forty-four states now merit a grade of “C” or higher for policies that support appropriate medical use of opioid analgesics while controlling diversion and abuse, according to a report card published in July by the University of Wisconsin Pain & Policy Studies Group.

The report is the fifth by the group since 2000, when 24 state policies earned a “C” or better. Seven states saw their grades improve from 2007 to 2008, and no state’s grade has worsened since 2000. Five states — Kansas, Michigan, Oregon, Virginia and Wisconsin — have “A” grades.

The whole shebang.