Beginning in the 1990s, the U.S. has faced an opioid epidemic, costing thousands of lives. Many organizations exist to manage the effects of this opioid crisis, one of them being the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA plays a vital role in the regulation of drugs and the enforcement of drug laws. It has many specific responsibilities, one of them being to pursue administrative cases against prescribers or businesses that violate controlled substance laws. Through these cases, they are able to revoke a prescriber or business’s license to handle controlled substances if appropriate. Over the past twenty years, the DEA’s administrative activity, especially with large distribution cases, has changed in response to various factors, such as the type of individual or business involved; the type of drug involved; and the changes in prescription rates. This, along with the trend of the most involved drugs over time, is precisely what is evaluated in this project. To provide a comprehensive background on this topic, this project dives into four main points: the role of the DEA, the role of other actors in the opioid crisis, the trends seen in the data gathered, and the significance of this information. This is all done to provide public education on this major actor in drug enforcement in America through the lens of the opioid crisis.

Professor Liz Chiarello has played an influential role in Jymie and Kaitlyn’s lives since the Spring of 2019 when they joined her research team. Through this time, Professor Chiarello has guided them in developing valuable research, writing, and analytical skills. Professor Chiarello has been an inspiring mentor for Jymie and Kaitlyn, and they are incredibly grateful for everything that she has taught them.