Opioid Epidemic: What Employers Should Do Opioid addiction has been declared a national public health emergency. More than 2.6 million Americans have been prescribed opioids or obtained them from friends or others and are now addicted. Since the mid 1990's opioids have been commonly prescribed for pain. The drug companies understated their addictive potential and they became one of the most prescribed drugs in the US. Because of lack of insurance or to reduce medical costs, people have obtained opioids from others, rather than seeing a doctor for their pain. In addition to the addiction, use of opioids have resulted in drug overdoses (and death) and the use of other illegal drugs, such as heroin. | Click for full infographic |