Could This Wearable Tech Ease Opioid Withdrawal?

The opioid addiction epidemic is a growing public health concern in the United States. Instead of being a powerful painkiller for terminal patients, the drugs have become deadly. Deaths from drug overdoses reached an all-time high of 63,600 in 2016. To put that in perspective, it represents a 21% increase from previous years and is the most significant single-year jump ever. Roughly 42,000 of those overdose deaths were from opioids. It's estimated that more than 11 million people in the United States struggle with opioid addiction and that number is likely low since many who are hooked on the heavy-duty pain pills do not seek treatment. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a device that those who are trying to beat the addiction can use to ease withdrawal symptoms.