Opioid Crisis Cost U.S. Nearly $1.5 Trillion in 2020

A report by the Congressional Joint Economic Committee (JEC) found that the economic toll of the opioid crisis on the U.S. was nearly $1.5 trillion in 2020 alone, a $487 billion increase from 2019 fueled by the covid pandemic. JEC took all losses associated with the opioid crisis into consideration- loss of productivity, workforce declines, and physical and mental health care costs. The JEC reported that the continued rise in fatal opioid overdoses in 2021 suggests the total cost of the opioid crisis is likely to continue to rise. Read more