Big Pharma and the Opioid Epidemic: from Vicodin to Heroin (Informed!)

More than 130 people a day in the U.S. die from opioid overdoses. Addiction to legal and illegal opioids has been declared a national crisis. The U.S. spends about $78.5 billion a year on treatment, criminal prosecution, and health care related to the crisis. What caused this massive problem? Can the crisis be slowed or reversed? Students will get practical tips on how to help someone suffering from an addiction or experiencing an overdose, and learn about how the nation is trying to deal with the crisis.