This story was produced as part of ThreeSixty Journalism’s Multimedia Storytelling Institute for high school students in partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, which financially sponsors the camp and supports story sourcing. Additional reporting by Smit Bhardwaj and Alaia Scroggins (Wayzata High School).

Darnell Cox started using marijuana and alcohol around the age of 12. By 20, he had been introduced to hard drugs. His uncle had been released from prison, and Cox started spending time with him and his friends. That’s how he became addicted to methamphetamine.

Cox is one of many Americans whose entire family systems are affected by substance use disorder. One in four U.S. children lived with at least one parent or caretaker with substance use disorder in 2023, accordi

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