opioid epidemic

[ oh-pee--oid ep-i-dem-ik ]
/ ˈoʊ pi ˌɔɪd ˌɛp ɪˈdɛm ɪk /

noun

a public health crisis brought about by a notable increase in the use of opioids: legislative efforts to deal with the opioid epidemic.

Origin of opioid epidemic

First recorded in 2010–15