The Opioid Epidemic
After years of increasing abuse, addiction and overdose deaths, the US declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency.
Despite efforts to address it, around 200 opioid-related overdose deaths occur daily. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain abuse them, and about 10 percent develop an opioid addiction.
The opioid overdose crisis is currently being driven by fentanyl. Dealers often add fentanyl to illicit drugs to increase their potency, unbeknownst to the buyer. In a year, nearly 70 percent of all opioid overdose deaths involved fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
Drug overdose deaths in the US surpassed 100,000 annually by the early 2020s, mainly due to painkiller abuse.
“I didn’t think I had a ‘drug problem’—I was buying the tablets at the chemist [drugstore]. It didn’t affect my work. I would feel a bit tired in the mornings, but nothing more. The fact that I had a problem came to a head when I took an overdose of about 40 tablets and found myself in the hospital. I spent 12 weeks in the clinic conquering my addiction.” —Alex
“Pretty much as long as I can remember, I’ve had highs and lows. I would get easily upset by the littlest things. I would have anger outbursts or hate someone for no reason at all. For a long while, I thought I was bipolar. I started using drugs last October to help me with my unwanted feelings. But, believe it or not, it just made stuff worse. I now have to deal with my addiction and my emotional problems.” —Thomas
How much do you really know about painkillers?
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