When we think of drug addiction, drugs such as meth, heroin, and crack come to mind. However, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC,) painkillers account for the greatest proportion of the drug abuse problem. More specifically, prescription opioid painkillers such as methadone, OxyContin, and Vicodin are the most used. Individuals may become addicted to prescription pills following surgery, accidents, or sports incidents. For others, it may have just started out as recreational use. Today, at least half of all U.S opioid overdose deaths involve painkillers. In a recent report by CNN, over 259 million opioid prescriptions are written yearly, which means that over 22 million prescriptions are written per month. The U.S makes up less than 5% of the world’s population, but Americans consume 80% of the world’s supply of painkillers alone. According to former Waterford District Court Judge Jodi Debbrecht Switalski, it only takes about 12 doses of opioids to become addicted.

In 2014, there were over 1,700 drug overdose deaths in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS.). It is worth noting that the largest number of these deaths came from Wayne County and Detroit combined.