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Boston Calling

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How the world looks through American eyes, and the myriad and unexpected ways that the world influences the United States.

Boston Calling: Addicted

Addicted

22/12/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - Boston Calling, Addicted

America is addicted to painkillers and tens of thousands of people are dying of overdoses

America is addicted to painkillers and tens of thousands of people are dying of overdoses.

The US opioid epidemic is a major public health crisis that has affected many communities across the United States. We’ll hear from an expert in addiction psychiatry who thinks that doctors bear much of the blame.

Also: What do you do if opioid drugs don't stop the pain? Acupuncture may be the answer; We look at how supervised injection is already saving the lives of heroin users; the Toronto police department launched a social media campaign, reminding people that marijuana is legal in Canada and not a cause for emergency calls; the US and Mexico join forces to crack down on the illicit drug trade; and the story of Steve Hupp's transformation from bank robber to shaman.    

(Boston Calling producer Daniel Ofman stands next to a bus stop advertisement of Naloxone, a nasal spray that can counteract and potentially save someone from an opioid overdose. Credit: Diego Lopez/The World)

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