The Opioid Crisis

Two decades ago, a new generation of supposedly safer painkillers triggered an epidemic of opioid abuse in the U.S. Since then, opioid overdoses have killed well over 400,000 Americans — more deaths than the country’s military suffered in World War II. The surge in prescription drug abuse was followed by a wave of heroin addiction. Now, more than half of opioid deaths are caused by synthetic versions such as fentanyl, a chemical powerful enough to kill in tiny concentrations. Beyond the death toll, at least 2 million Americans have become addicted.

U.S. deaths from opioid overdoses reached a record high of 47,600 in 2017 but may have leveled off in early 2018, according to preliminary data. Some steps to curb the epidemic may be bearing fruit, while others are just getting underway: