The opioid crisis has been a trending topic in the United States for the last decade, fueled lately by the prevalence of street substances laced with fentanyl and skyrocketing overdoses. Pharmacists remain on the front line as educators and the most accessible health care professionals. APhA stands as an ally.

“Each of these values on this chart represents exactly that—a life that once held value. Every overdose is one too many and means that someone out there is losing someone they love.” These are the paraphrased words of Laura Palombi, PharmD, MPH, professor at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, from a talk about her work addressing the substance use disorder (SUD) epidemic that I heard while I was still an undergraduate student. I will never forget the experience of explaining to her that those dots on her graphs were from my hometown, and that not only could I put a name to three of them, but I could also describe the impact their losses had on my small, rural community. Dr. Palombi’s work is a huge inspiration for me, and it’s a big part of why I pursued pharmacy as a career. I now work to specialize in supporting those with diverse mental health needs and SUDs.

Substance use disorders (SUDs) can affect anyone, just as cancer or any other numerous disease states out there. They are a result of many factors, including genetic risk factors, the ubiquity of alcohol, or the opioid epidemic. Pharmacists and future pharmacists have a duty to protect patients and make positive change in the profession.

The pharmacist’s role has evolved drastically over the past few decades. It’s become more apparent that pharmacists are an essential part of the health care team when promoting and delivering patient care services. With the ever-evolving profession and pharmacist’s role, diverse opportunities for all practitioners have arisen.

In early February, I had the opportunity to travel to Pierre, SD, for our chapter’s annual Legislative Days. It was such an exciting opportunity for me to learn more about the policy process, use my patient care skills, and form stronger connections with peers and faculty.