Background on Opioids

Opioids has been the main focus in recent years, it killed more than 500,000 people over the past two decades. There has been an increase in overdose deaths and suicides (which is often associated with substance misuse). Once the COVID-19 pandemic came in 2020, the situation worsened. The social distancing mandates increased the chance of overdosing for the people who used drugs. 

Opioids are class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine, morphine, and many others.

Opioids are effective pain – relievers that can cause euphoria and lead to addiction, whether they are legally or illegally obtained. During an opioid overdose, a person may stop breathing and their heart may stop beating as their central nervous system shuts down. 

• Prescription Opioids: To relieve pain, doctors may prescribe their patients opioids like (OxyContin®), morphine, and even fentanyl for severe pain. When prescription opioids are distributed directly by legitimate medical professionals, their purity and strength as labeled can be trusted.                                  
• Illicit Opioids: include heroin and any other opioids that are produced outside of a legitimate pharmaceutical laboratory. Opioids that are made illegally are far more dangerous than prescription opioids because people using them cannot verify their purity or strength.  
• Fentanyl: Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are leading driver of the overdose epidemic. Because they are extremely powerful, just a tiny amount of fentanyl (or variations of fentanyl called analogues) can be more lethal. Fentanyl is often mixed into drugs without the knowledge of the people using them. For more information, see Fentanyl 101

Source: Minnesota Department of Health.