America's Opioid Crisis Is Destroying Local Economies

As America’s opioid epidemic ravages cities large and small, a new problem is emerging: while jobs exist, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find applicants willing or able to pass the drug tests needed to get them, employers and public officials say. In this episode, Caroline and Chip explore the economic side of America’s devastating addiction to prescription painkillers, heroin and synthetic opioids like fentanyl, and how it’s playing out in workplaces. Sam Quinones, the author of “Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic,” explains the link between jobs and addiction. Then, Jeff DeFlavio, the co-founder of treatment provider Groups, talks to us about ways he thinks employers can be less impacted by the drug crisis across America.