Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), identifies drug use disorder as the public health crisis of our time. He mentions the focus on pain control as one driver, cites recent progress in educating both health-care professionals and the public about the scope and extent of drug use disorders, emphasizes that drug use disorder is a chronic, relapsing medical condition–not a moral failing–and offers that judges exercise a critical role. In dispensing justice, judges can also enable participation in programs that facilitate long-term recovery.

Dr. Redfield responds to the following questions:

00:15 Describe different categories of opioids and state how they are all part of the opioid epidemic.

01:23  Drug use disorder has been around for a long time. What is different about this current issue and how did it all start?

04:34  If we look at the current trends, would we see an increase or decrease of misuse in the next generation?

06:46 Aside from heroin and methamphetamine, are there any other illegal drugs linked to the current crisis?

08:26 Can science predict who will become addicted to prescription medications? Also, what does it say about interrelationships between types of addiction?

09:53 What is the CDC doing to help combat the opioid epidemic?

12:12 And what about naloxone?

14:13 With the concerns regarding opioids, are there any alternative ways to manage chronic pain?

17:48 What about behavioral treatments for those who need it?

18:34 Despite all these scary numbers you’ve mentioned throughout our interview, that you remain hopeful for an end in sight.

21:58 Is there anything else our audience needs to know?