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Within the last 20 years, over 500,000 Americans have died from an overdose. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the misuse of and addiction to opioids—including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl—is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total "economic burden" of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement. The Crime of the Century”, which premiers today, is a new two-part HBO documentary based in part on The Washington Post’s reporting which examines the role of major drug companies, political operatives, and government regulations in enabling the nation’s opioid crisis. Watch the trailer here and learn more about the origins, extent, and fallout of one of the most devastating public health tragedies in our country.
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