In 2019, approximately 50,000 people in the United States died from opioid-related overdoses (1). The misuse and dependence of opioids, which includes legally obtained prescription pain relievers, synthetic opioids like fentanyl, and heroin, is a serious public health crisis in the United States. An estimated $78.5 billion of US spending dollars is doled out to opiate-related healthcare expenses, criminal justice involvement, rehabilitation treatment, and lost productivity (2). These costs represent the widespread economic burden and social implications of opioid use disorder (OUD).

Stigma around opioid use disorder creates barriers in seeking treatment and accessing care. Moreover, many patients with opioid use disorder have a high likelihood of readmission. This underscores the larger issue that the underlying cause of OUD is not often addressed. A survey by the American Psychiatric Association reports that 1/3 of those surveyed knew someone with an opioid use disorder (OUD). Yet, fewer than 20 percent of patients seek treatment.

The addition of the pill pack into the unicode Emoji keyboard has the potential to raise awareness of the ongoing opioid epidemic, such as the movement among prescribers for a Get Waivered DEA-X course.