Black Box: Bonus - Will opioid settlement spending stop the opioid crisis in Mississippi or Louisiana?

The opioid epidemic has killed hundreds of thousands of people across the United States. The five-part "Black Box" podcast series tells listeners about the tens of billions of dollars from lawsuits against some of the country's biggest companies for their role in the crisis, and about Mississippi's early management of its portion of the money. "Black Box" features testimonials from people in recovery and friends and family of loved ones who overdosed. Many feel left out of Mississippi's opioid settlement spending process. But every state in the country is getting some of these funds, and each is spending them differently. In this bonus conversation, hear the host of "Black Box" Allen Siegler talk to Katie Jane Fernelius of Verite News, Alena Maschke from The Current, and Drew Hawkins with Gulf States Newsroom, who are covering how the money is being spent in Louisiana, and elsewhere. You can find more of Allen, Katie, Alena and Drew's coverage at their respective newsrooms: https://veritenews.org/ https://thecurrentla.com/ https://www.wwno.org/ If you or a loved one struggles with addiction, you can find treatment options in your area at findtreatment.gov or by calling the national helpline at 1-800-662-4357.