Opioid Crisis (Calm Before The Storm)

Drug overdoses have since become the leading cause of death of Americans under 50, with two-thirds of those deaths from opioids

In 2016, over 64,000 Americans died from overdoses, 21 percent more than the almost 53,000 in 2015. By comparison, the figure was 16,000 in 2010, and 4,000 in 1999.

While death rates varied by state, public health experts estimate that nationwide over 500,000 people could die from the epidemic over the next 10 years.

The epidemic cost the United States an estimated $504 billion dollars in 2015.

In July 2017 opioid addiction was cited as the FDA's biggest crisis.

On October 26, 2017, President concurred with his Commission's report and declared the country's opioid crisis a "Public Health Emergency."