By Beth LeipholtzOriginal Source: thefix.comA new study examined the economic impact of the opioid epidemic on the US workforce over a 16-year period.The opioid epidemic isn’t just affecting individuals and families—it’s also affecting the U.S. workforce.According to a recent study by the American Action Forum, nearly 1 million people were not working in 2015 due to opioid use.More specifically, the study states that in 2015, 919,400 people ages 25 to 54 were not at work because of their opioid dependence. That number grew every year between 1999 and 2015.Over that 16-year span, the study found that the lack of employees cost the U.S. economy about $44 billion per year, for a total of about $702 billion. “It’s a pretty big drag on the U.S. economy,” Ben Gitis, who co-authored the study with intern Isabel Soto, told the Washington Post.The study found that over the 16 years, the economic growth rate actually...click here to continue reading