Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    A Deadly Epidemic and New Rules for Drug Addiction

    "Drug abuse" has long been criminalized, but drug addiction is now recognized as a medical problem, and it's taking a staggering toll. Overdose deaths from opioids — prescription painkillers, as well as heroin -- are breaking records. Doctors and the pharmaceutical industry have both been part of the problem.

    • rss
    • Share
    By Warren Olney • Mar 31, 2016 • 33m Listen

    "Drug abuse" has long been criminalized, but drug addiction is now recognized as a medical problem, and it's taking a staggering toll. Overdose deaths from opioids — prescription painkillers, as well as heroin -- are breaking records. Doctors and the pharmaceutical industry have both been part of the problem. They're also considered essential to finding the right solution, which recognizes the problem not as the consequence of a character flaw but as a medical condition. Will new rules from the Obama Administration be enough to get the epidemic under control?

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Is the Opioid Epidemic Forcing a New Attitude toward Addiction?
    1. 1:53Obama Meets with Asian Leaders during Nuclear Summit
    2. 8:53A Deadly Epidemic and New Rules for Drug AddictionYou’re reading this
    3. 42:35Female Players Sue US Soccer over Wages
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Jenny Hamel

      KCRW

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Evan George

      Director of Content, News

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Gideon Brower

      Independent Producer

    • KCRW placeholder

      Maia Szalavitz

      neuroscience journalist

    • KCRW placeholder

      Patrice Harris

      American Medical Association Board of Trustees

    • KCRW placeholder

      Edward

      former opioid addict

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Is the Opioid Epidemic Forcing a New Attitude toward Addiction?
    1. 1:53Obama Meets with Asian Leaders during Nuclear Summit
    2. 8:53A Deadly Epidemic and New Rules for Drug AddictionYou’re reading this
    3. 42:35Female Players Sue US Soccer over Wages
    Back to To the Point