Understanding the Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis, which emerged with the introduction of OxyContin by Purdue Pharma, has become a public health catastrophe. Despite efforts over the decades, the crisis continues to escalate with fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, contributing to a surge in overdose deaths. Black market opioids and adulterated drugs further worsen the situation, leading to over 81,000 opioid overdose deaths in the US in 2023, ten times more than in 1999. The challenges in combating the crisis stem from the failure of non-addictive promises made by pharmaceutical companies and the proliferation of fentanyl in the illicit drug market.