The Global Opioid Crisis: Lessons from the United States of America and Beyond

The opioid epidemic, initially perceived as a predominantly American crisis, has rapidly evolved into a global public health emergency with devastating consequences extending far beyond U.S. borders. Opioid misuse and overdose deaths have escalated internationally, driven by widespread availability, prescription overuse, illicit trafficking, and the emergence of potent synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. The recent article by Ibteisam Madhi, published in this issue of the Journal of the Best Available Evidence in Medicine, offers timely reflections on local responses to the crisis in San Joaquin County, California—responses that echo broader global challenges.