The opioid (narcotic) epidemic has been in the news a lot lately. Last year, almost 30,000 people died from opioid overdoses. Of these overdoses, 15,000 were from legal prescription opioids. Narcotics are a $24 billion market worldwide.
The United States makes up only 5 percent of the world’s population, but 80 percent of all opioids are consumed in the United States!
Americans consume 99% of all of the hydrocodone (Vicodin) in the world.
Florida alone uses 80% of the world’s supply of oxycodone (other names of oxycodone include Roxicodone, Percocet, and Oxycontin).