The opioid crisis: origins, trends, policies, and the roles of pharmacists.

The origins of the opioid epidemic are multifactorial in nature. This review provides an overview of the opioid crisis and describes current interventions to address the problem. The authors suggest that pharmacists can play a key role in improving opioid safety by performing medication review and counseling, educating patients and communities about appropriate pain management, and referring patients to addiction treatment.