What are Opioids?

Opioids are substances that bind to opioid receptors on the brain, causing a pain relief effect. There are a variety of opioids, legal and illegal, listed below.

Legal Opioids: fentanyl (Actiq®, Duragesic®, Sublimaze®), oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), oxymorphine (Opana®), codeine, morphine (Kadian®, Avinza®), hydromorphine (Dilaudid®)

Illegal Opioids: Heroin, fentanyl

Fentanyl Awareness

Did you know that counterfeit pills often contain fentanyl and are more lethal than ever before? According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), “Criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the American public. Fake pills are easy to purchase, widely available, often contain fentanyl or methamphetamine, and can be deadly.”

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Understanding Use / Abuse

  • Consumption of low and/or infrequent doses and the damaging consequences may be rare or minor. May include use of legal prescription medication as directed by a doctor to relieve pain.

  • The use of a substance for a purpose not consistent with legal or medical guidelines. May include taking more the prescribed or using someone else’s prescription.

  • When the use of a substance adversely affects the health of the user or when the use of a substance imposes social and personal costs. Within the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as substance use disorder, which is on a continuum of mild to severe.

  • Compulsive craving for a substance. A chronic and progressive disease, and withdrawal is usually characterized by psychological symptoms. People with substance dependence cannot function normally without the substance because their body depends on it, either physically or psychologically. Also known as, addiction.

To learn more about opioids, click here to visit the Truth Initiative website.