Opioid addiction is gripping the entire country, Florida and our local communities. Every day, more than 115 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids — including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl — is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare.

It's no longer the taboo underbelly of society being devoured by these pain killing drugs. Instead, it's consuming the lives of your friends, neighbors, mothers and fathers, and grandparents.

Spectrum News is showcasing an original documentary called "Opioid Crisis: Raising Heroin's Children" at 7 p.m. May 22, followed by a live town hall at 7:30 p.m. in Bradenton, Fla.

The documentary features three people who have been affected by addiction —  a user, a mother of an addict and a child of an addict, all with harrowing stories to share.

Carol Baker, 66, now has full custody of her 7-year-old grandchild due to her daughter's addiction. That addiction nearlyh cost Carol her life as she, at one point, almost worked herself to death taking care of five of her daughter's kids.

"I want to just scream to God that this is not fair," she said. "Not only have I lost my daughter, I have to raise her child."

For the kids, the trauma they have experienced has long-lasting effects.

"Growing up as being a kid who has their parents choose drugs over them, I mean that's already pretty damaging as a child to grow up that way," said Jesse Hamblen, whose mother struggled with addiction. "It really starts to create underlying problems. My mom was a prostitute and drug addict, and my dad was an alcoholic and a pedophile."

The 26-year-old grew up in foster care from the ages of 9 to 16 before running away and living on the streets. Hamblen eventually turned to drugs himself and overdosed on heroin. Luckily, he went to a rehab center and was able to turn his life around.

For some users, they were simply following the doctor’s orders that led them down a dark path. Jessica Denichilo first started using narcotics prescribed by her doctor that eventually led her to a point where she was injecting heroin and other opiates into her veins.

"My disease brought me to a place where I would use all of the money that I made to buy drugs and not even buy food for my own children," Denichilo said.

The opioid crisis is causing a wave of destruction throughout communities in the United States. Experts say our society needs to develop the political will and the enlightenment to understand that this is an illness that needs to be treated like a medical illness with the appropriate medications at our disposal.

Spectrum News is taking a unique look into the opioid crisis and heroin epidemic consuming our neighborhoods and solutions to the problem.

Before the town hall, Spectrum News will feature an original documentary that looks at the devastating impact heroin is having on Florida's young people. Afterward, the live town hall will feature a panel of experts including lawmakers, medical experts, law enforcement, and those personally impacted by addiction.

Register to attend the town hall here.