This chapter explores how media coverage of American drug epidemicsDrug epidemics has been shaped by intersecting forces of racial biasRacial bias, moral panic, and economic interest. Drawing from theories of moral panicMoral panic and racial capitalismRacial capitalism, it traces the divergent narratives constructed around the heroin epidemic of the 1970s and the opioid crisisOpioid crisis of the twenty-first century. The heroin epidemic, largely affecting Black and Latino communities, was framed through dehumanizing imagery and criminal tropes, reinforcing punitive policiesPunitive policies and mass incarcerationIncarceration policy. In contrast, the opioid crisis, disproportionately affecting White communities, was framed with empathy, highlighting personal tragedy and systemic failure. Through detailed case studies and media discourse analysis, the chapter demonstrates how visual framingVisual framing, source selection, and language use have created racialized narratives that influence public sentiment and policy. It also examines how media have historically functioned as tools of social control, legitimizing unequal treatment of addiction based on race. Ultimately, the chapter argues that media narrativesMedia narratives are not merely reflective of social reality, but powerful forces in constructing who is seen as a victim, who is seen as a criminal, and who is deemed worthy of recovery.