Deadly Chain Reaction: The Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic

The opioid crisis in America is so out of control, the number of people dying each year equals the population of a medium-sized city. The synthetic opioid Fentanyl, along with heroin and prescription painkillers steals so many lives the average life expectancy is decreasing for some segments of our population.

How did we get here, and where did it begin?

Pat Robertson talks with author Barry Meier about his book, Pain Killer, on Monday's 700 Club.

New York Times reporter and author Barry Meier traces the origins of America's opioid nightmare back to one drug: OxyContin. 15 years ago, he sounded the alarm with his book, Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic.

In it, Meier describes how the pharmaceutical industry underplayed the addictive nature of this powerful narcotic, setting off a deadly chain reaction.