Wonks at Work | Episode 25
We’re back! The omicron wave extended our holiday break longer than we had planned, but our host and top wonk Craig Wilson is behind the mic again. In this episode, we discuss how disruption and isolation created by the pandemic have impacted people struggling with addiction. In 2020, there were almost 92,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S., 21,000 more than in any previous year. Arkansas Drug Director Kirk Lane talks about factors that contributed to this increase and highlights some policies and programs aimed at prevention, treatment, and harm reduction.