摘要
Opioid crisis continues to gain ground in the United States with little regards to color or economic status.More than 800 people die weekly from opioid-related overdosestotally well over 42,000 deaths in 2016,and the number is rising.Surprisingly,the opioid overdose deaths involved an estimated 40%prescription opioid abuse.As reported by the National Drug Institute(2017),opioid addiction is often described as an“equal opportunity”problem that can afflict people from all races and walks of life.Unlike the crack crises of the past,the present opioid epidemic has extremely impacted White Americans not only the rural and poor,but also suburban and middle class or affluent.Further,current opioid overdoses deaths have increased for Whites,Blacks,and Hispanics,they have increased to a far greater degree for White Americans.Efforts to battle the increasing opioid epidemic have moved from incarceration to using legislation to limit the prescriptions being distributed.State and federal laws are being enacted to placing limitations on opioid prescriptions.
