Our Perspective on the Opioid Crisis in Amarillo

AMARILLO, TX (KFDA) - Emotional pain and physical pain can be a reason for someone to take medicine and sometimes to abuse medicine or to seek illegal drugs to mask the pain.

According to many studies, that pain drives people to become isolated and take more medicine or use more drugs.

The pain is real, but the treatment can be deadly and tragic in many cases.

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NewsChannel10 is airing a special investigative show "License to Pill" on Sunday, August 5 at 10:35 p.m. that deals with the opioid abuse and over-prescription in America.

This is truly groundbreaking and exposes the top opioid prescribers and uncovers questionable methods of doling out pain pills.

This report has already triggered response by federal agents and a federal grand jury indicting two doctors exposed.

Our Perspective points back to a report we did in April, citing Amarillo as having one of the highest rates of opioid abuse in the country.

We as a community have to take responsibility and help others who are in pain and using this medicine to escape that pain.

This is a complicated issue, but education and awareness are key points to help us become better at dealing with these dangers.

To provide our viewers with resources on research and awareness, we have created a section of our website called Drug Free.

Hopefully, we can do our part to make Amarillo both physically and emotionally healthier.

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