The American opioid epidemic has become a national emergency that continues to worsen and affect millions of people, even though the dangers of prescription medications like Morphine, Codeine and Oxycontin have been widely publicized. Opioid overdoses kill 116 Americans every day, and addicted individuals can easily find themselves in prison. Although opioid addiction can end in death or imprisonment, its beginning is usually inane — a simple painkiller prescription. Despite these facts, patients willingly accept and even ask for prescribed opioids, perhaps unaware of the horrific potential consequences.

A common symbol of prescription medication in the U.S. is the plastic pill case. In these ads, a pill case is CGI-rendered into a metaphor for the grim reality of opioid addiction. The renderings are exquisitely detailed, featuring 14 unique characters in 14 unique environments. Each character is hyper-realistic with details and features that suggest an independent backstory. These prisoners and cadavers trapped inside pill cases are eye-catching and alarming — a powerful symbol of the human cost of the opioid epidemic.