Illicit use of opioids

In addition to the risk of harm to children or pets accidentally ingesting them, pain medications containing opioids can be stolen and used to get high. Leftover prescription opioids from friends and relatives can easily be diverted for illicit use.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all opioid overdoses in the U.S. involve a prescription opioid. In 2015, more than 15,000 people died from overdoses involving prescription opioids.

The most common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose deaths are methadone, oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, others) and hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco, others).