The opioid 'crisis' in Essex: The addiction 'more painful than child birth'

The opioid crisis in the US has devastated lives for years. It is an epidemic which has led to a horrifying number of addicts, overdoses, and fatalities.

Across the Atlantic here in the UK, there is also an opioid problem, which may be less plain to see.

According to the latest figures, 5.6 million adults in England are being prescribed opioids in one year, and one report by Public Health England claimed that one in eight of the population is now on prescription opioids.

The data suggests patients are being prescribed more than twice the amount they were 20 years ago.