Our nation is reeling in response to the coronavirus outbreak, and all of us are suffering some sort of loss, confusion, or fear. But as bad as the situation is for many of us, it is only going to get worse for the 2.1 million people in the United States who suffer from opioid addiction. As the COVID-19 pandemic shuts down local economies and keeps people in their homes, it is exacerbating America’s opioid crisis. We need to understand why and how to come together to fight back.
For almost two decades, opioids have been wreaking havoc on our communities. The damage has been enormous. In 2018, opioid overdoses took the lives of 128 people in America every day. Throughout his tenure, President Trump has fought back against this deadly epidemic by increasing funding for treatment options and committing government resources to curtail drug use.
