Topic > Essay on Opioids - 825

Opioids are a class of drugs used for chronic pain. Opioids are substances used to relieve pain by binding opioid receptors throughout the body and brain. These areas of the brain control pain and also emotions, producing a feeling of excitement or happiness. As the brain becomes accustomed to these sensations and the body develops a tolerance to opioids, there is a need for more opioids and thus the possibility of addiction. There are different forms of opioids produced such as morphine, oxycodone, buprenorphine, hydrocodone, and methadone. They are marketed under several brand names such as Demerol, Oxycontin, Tylox, Percocet and Vicodin and can be prescribed in liquid, tablet, capsule and patch forms. In the United States, opioid addiction rates have increased dramatically. Between 2000 and 2015, more than half a million people died from opioid overdoses, and nearly 5 million people suffer from opioid addiction that has become a serious problem. The Center for Disease Control reports that there are 91 deaths due to opioid abuse every day. Taking opioids for long periods of time and in If healthcare providers are unable to prescribe medications based on an individual's needs, the individual will travel to their community to locate and purchase medications. This practice can be dangerous, as it involves an unregulated amount of medication that can lead to an opioid overdose. Depending on the need for drugs by people in the community, members will be prescribed drugs and then sell them at a premium price. Many people will have multiple suppliers of opioid painkillers and even pretend they need to visit an emergency room. Percentage of heroin users say opioid use began with the use of opioid painkillers. These same individuals claim to have switched to heroin use because they use less of it