Opioid Epidemic Paper

“The United States is in the throes of an opioid epidemic, as more than 2 million Americans have become dependent on or abused prescription pain pills and street drugs” (CNN, 2018). This is a health crisis that APN’s are a part of. Research and write a 3-page paper (not counting the cover and reference page) on the use of Opioids in the US. Define the problem including statistics related to the national impact as well as statistics related to your particular state. Include any personal experience with this national crisis. How is the role of the Nurse Practitioner impacted by this issue? What alternatives does the literature suggest for providers in lieu of prescribing Opioids for pain management?