"The opioid epidemic is responsible for the first sustained decline in U.S. life expectancy since the 1960s. In 2016, more than 50,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose -- to say nothing of the hundreds of thousands who live with some measure of opioid addiction every day. The Opioid Epidemic: What Everyone Needs to Know® is an accessible, nonpartisan overview of the causes, politics, and treatments tied to the most devastating health crisis of our time. Its comprehensive approach and Q&A format offer readers a practical path to understanding the epidemic from all sides: the basic science of opioids; the nature of addiction; the underlying reasons for the opioid epidemic; effective approaches to helping individuals, families, communities, and national policy; and common myths related to opioid addiction. Written by two expert physicians and enriched with stories from their experiences the crosshairs of this epidemic, this book is a critical resource for any general reader -- and for the individuals and families fighting this fight in their own lives. "-- Provided by publisher.