infograph of the history of the opioid epidemic started in 1775 with opium making its way to the united state. there was then a sharp rise in opioid addiction in the late 1800s that lead people to crushing opioids and inhaling them for pleasure. in 1914, the harrison narcotics act limited recreational use of drugs. most importantly, in 1986, the world health organization created guidelines for treating cancer pain by recommending opioid use only if no other options were available. today, america's overdose deaths have grown from 52,404, with drug dependent babies also being born. Surgeon general, vivek murthy, reports that addiction is a chronic disease in 2016, and not a moral failing. In 2017, we are continuing to break the stigma with this being a national epidemic.
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