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Drug companies still face a lot of questions about their role in the nation's opioid epidemic.

In the United States, drugmakers have flooded the market with powerful, sophisticated opioids. And that's fueled an epidemic of addiction. But across Africa many patients can't afford even mild painkillers — let alone medications to help people in extreme pain.

Opioid misuse and deaths are increasing in the United States. In 2017, Ohio had the second highest overdose rates in the US, with the city of Cincinnati experiencing a 50% rise in opioid overdoses since 2015.

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, is using opioid settlement money to expand an addiction recovery program that helps patients after they're discharged from the ER.

Editor's Note: This hour discusses topics of drug addiction that some listeners may find disturbing or offensive. If you or anyone you know is living with addiction and depression, there are resources available for help. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's website or call the helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Also, visit the American Society of Addiction Medicine or American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry to find a list of qualified physicians by zip code or by state.

Two counties in Ohio have reached a major opioid settlement with the drug industry. It's valued at roughly $260 million. Local officials say that money paid out by drugmakers and distributors is desperately needed as they struggle to cope with the addiction crisis. But the settlement in Cleveland failed to produce clear legal precedents or any kind of national model for compensation as many observers had hoped. North Country Public Radio's Brian Mann reports.