What are opioids?
Opioids are drugs often used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Opioid pain relievers are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by a doctor.2 However, they can produce a “high” in addition to pain relief, so they can be misused (taken in a different way or in a larger quantity than prescribed or taken without a doctor's prescription). These drugs can also cause sleepiness and can slow or stop breathing, leading to overdose and death.
Regular use—even as prescribed by a doctor—can lead to misuse and addiction, which can lead to loss of freedom, unemployment, eviction, overdose, and death. People with opioid addiction often feel sick and have strong cravings when no opioid is plugged in.
The following are examples of opioids:
- Heroin
- Codeine
- Vicodin, Hycodan (hydrocodone)
- MS Contin, Kadian (morphine)
- OxyContin, Percocet (oxycodone)
- Dilaudid (hydromorphone)
- Duragesic (fentanyl)
- Fentanyl (nonprescription)
