The U.S. Opioid Epidemic
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Departments of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Defense meet regularly to coordinate federal efforts to address the opioid epidemic and identify opportunities for additional collaboration between government and external stakeholders.
About the Epidemic
- Prescription Drug Abuse...The United States is in the midst of a prescription drug overdose epidemic. Since 1999, the amount of prescription drugs prescribed and sold in the United States has nearly quadrupled, yet there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans report. Overprescribing leads to more abuse and more overdose deaths.
- Heroin Abuse...Heroin use has increased across the United States among men and women, most age groups, and all income levels. As heroin use has increased, so have heroin-related overdose deaths. States play a central role in prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts for this growing epidemic.