There have been documentaries and even movies made about opioid use. “Painkiller” on Netflix looks at the consequences of the opioid epidemic – those who are pushing it, the victims, and the big business of it all. Another on Hulu called “Dopesick” focused on this ONE company run by a family that started the opioid epidemic with the painkilling drug OxyContin.  

Just how big is the business? According to the National Institutes of Health, in 2023 the opioid market in the U.S. was valued at $22.9 billion. And it continues to grow as opioid manufacturers continue to distribute, despite lawsuits and several settlements. 

The opioid crisis is not just impacting the big pharmaceutical companies but families in cities & towns around the country. Specifically, here in Mecklenburg County where the public health dept says since 2019, there’s been a 200% increase in overdose deaths among Black & Hispanic residents in Mecklenburg County.  There’s only been a 14% for White residents during the same period. We are digging deeper into this topic today… 

GUESTS:   

Dr. Raynard Washington — Meck Co. Health & Human Services, Public Health Department Director   

Lauren Kestner — Center for Prevention Services, Director of Harm Reduction 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Anuvia Prevention & Recovery Center

McCleod Centers For Wellbeing