Chronic pain is a growing public health issue with economic, social and medical costs.  As the percentage of the U.S. population utilizing opioid analgesics for pain control grows, so does the rate of abuse, misuse and overdose of these drugs.  Examples of opiates include morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, heroin, oxycodone and heroin.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that, among persons aged 12 years or older who were abusing analgesics, 53% reported receiving them for free from a friend or relative. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 17.000 overdose deaths involving opioids occurred in 2011. From 2000 to 2010, the number of hospitalizations for addiction to prescription opioids increased more than 4-fold to over 160,000 per year. In 2010, one out of every eight deaths among persons aged 25 to 34 years was opioid-related. In a 3-year period (2003 to 2006), more than 9000 children were exposed to opioids. (more…)