Opioid-Based Drugs Research Paper

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The previously denoted “Opioid Crisis” has reached the level of an epidemic and has thus captured the attention of the entire nation (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Opioids, which include a variety of drugs from OxyContin to heroin, are most commonly introduced to people as prescription pain-relievers. Opioid-based drugs, however, are extremely addictive. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, eight to twelve percent of opioid users develop a disorder. This results in large number of addicted patients, who then, following the termination of their prescription, seek out ways to feed their addiction with more opioids. The severity of the issue grows as the number of addicts rises, and with that, the number of overdoses.

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