Opioid abuse, out of the headlines during COVID, remains a big problem Opioid abuse, out of the headlines during COVID, remains a big problem This illustration image shows tablets of opioid painkiller Oxycodon. U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, a Republican from Geauga County, is quoted in this Politico newsletter piece about the next steps for Congress in addressing opioid abuse. Here's some context, via Politico's Olivia Beavers: The CDC issued a warning in December citing "a concerning acceleration of the increase in drug overdose deaths, with the largest increase recorded from March 2020 to May 2020, coinciding with the implementation of widespread mitigation measures for the COVID-19 pandemic." It found there were roughly 81,230 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. from May 2019-May 2020, which it said "is the largest number of drug overdoses for a 12-month period ever recorded." And for the lawmakers who represent districts with high rates of opioid use, they say the downward spiral occurring as COVID shut the country down was visible. Adding to the problem: Studies show people with substance use disorders are particularly susceptible to contracting COVID. It is all tied together.