The opioid epidemic has been sweeping the nation, spanning beyond the cities into suburban areas. This crisis has recently been brought to everyone’s attention due to the alarming number of drug-related deaths and incidents. Who could forget the startling image of two parents passed out in the front of a car while their child cried in the back or the significant number of people that know-or at least know of-someone that has been lost to this monster? These are horrifying stories; due to the nature of this epidemic it is easy to brush it off and chalk it up to careless addicts. But it is so much more than that and it continues to hit closer and closer to home.

These are 9 things you should know about the alarming opioid crisis plaguing America:

1. Opioid prescriptions dispensed by US pharmacies have more than doubled in the past decade.

In the 1990s there were approximately 80 million opioid prescriptions annually dispensed. This number has increased considerably to over 200 million prescriptions.

2. Prescription opioids have a very similar effect as heroin on the body.

The similar high felt from heroin makes both of these drugs very likely to be abused and the users liable to addiction.

3. Drug-induced deaths have become the leading cause of accidental deaths.

The most recent research revealed that over 47,000 Americans died from drug-induced causes; of these deaths, over 60 percent were caused by opioids. This has become the leading cause, surpassing motor vehicle accidents and even firearm deaths.

4. The drug problem is no longer centralized to major cities.

Unfortunately, this can be seen from the news to your own local town. With the increasing crisis of opioid addiction, it is more likely than not that everyone knows someone touched by the epidemic. This problem spans from Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and so many more.

5. In most cities the crisis is not being treated as a serious threat to public health.

For most health related issues there is a protocol to handle the situation as efficiently and effectively as possible. In most areas, this has not been initiated. There is a desperate need for alerts to the public and a direct response to restrict or eliminate the source and supplies of the problem.

While most areas have not initiated these precautions or solutions, there are steps that can be taken to lessen this epidemic. Baltimore is the heroin capital of America, but it has also become one of the best examples regarding ways to face this growing crisis.

6. Cities and towns need a strong leader in place to face the crisis.

A medical background greatly assists in this position. In Baltimore, Dr. Wen has been appointed health commissioner and declared a medical state of emergency. She has tackled this problem by increasing existing efforts while also implementing new initiatives.

7. Needle exchange programs, while controversial, aid the city and help to keep drug users as clean as possible.

These programs provide HIV and hepatitis C testing; they also provide clean needles to users to minimize the spread of infectious diseases.

8. There is now an overdose reversal initiative with the introduction of Naloxone.

Naloxone is a medication that is able to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. In Baltimore, police officers, individuals working in health and medical services, and most importantly recovering addicts are trained how to administer the medication. This mobilizes the response to the epidemic to decrease the opioid related deaths.

9. "No wrong door" centers are a vital part of the initiative to help addicts.

These centers offer detox and provide referrals to patients to help fill in the gaps often left in the system to provide continuous treatment for those battling addiction.