From the New York Times, I'm Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

Today, the opioid crisis in the United States now rivals the Vietnam War

in how many Americans have been killed.

After calling it a national emergency from once,

the president has declared it a public health emergency,

a distinction with a difference.

It's Friday, October 27th.

Aaron, how old were you the first time that you used an opioid?

14.

14.

What kind of teenager were you then?

Described to me a little bit.

I was an athlete. I played a lot of sports.

I played basketball, football, and baseball.

Aaron Pope lives outside Lexington, Kentucky.

I was not a bad kid. My dad always taught me.

My dad was a preacher.

He taught me to be well-manored and well-behaved

and respect your elders and stuff like that.

Were you a happy kid, would you say?

Yeah, certainly.

Tell me about that first time.

...