EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Philip Eil, a freelance journalist and author, joined Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian this week on “Behind the Story” to discuss the role opioids are playing in Rhode Island politics.

Eil, who's the author of "Prescription for Pain," recently wrote an opinion piece for Rhode Island Current, highlighting how quickly opioids and opioid-related deaths have become a central focus in the race for Rhode Island governor.

"I was uneasy to watch this really serious, literally life and death issue, get turned into campaign mudslinging where it's about scoring points," Eil said during a taping of the show on Wednesday. "The public gaze drifts away from the real stakes of this issue, which, as I noted in my piece, is ongoing."

Incumbent Gov. Dan McKee last month slammed

See Full Page