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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
12 or older—equivalent to about 1.1 million people—reported using heroin within the past 12 months, according to the National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA), in “What is the scope of heroin use in the United States?”Fentanyl: Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50–100 times more potent than morphine. It is used medically for severe pain, such as in cancer patients or during surgery. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl, however, is a leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S., as small amounts can be fatal. In 2022, around 73,838 people in the United States died from a drug overdose that involved fentanyl, according to Statistica in “Fentanyl overdose deaths U.S. 1999-2022.”Methadone: Methadone is a synthetic opioid primarily used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction. Methadone has been included on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines. It helps reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings without producing the euphoric effects of other opioids. Methadone doses of greater than 60mg are most effective, according to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) titled “WHO/UNODC/UNAIDS. Substitution maintenance therapy in the management of opioid dependence and HIV/AIDS prevention.” Methadone is also prescribed for chronic pain, though it carries a risk of overdose if misused. The percentage of overdose deaths involving methadone decreased steadily from 4.5% in January 2019 to 3.2% by August 2021, with a decline rate of about 0.05% to 0.06% both before and after the take-home policy change, according to a study by Jones CM et al. 2022, titled “Methadone-Involved Overdose Deaths in the US Before and After Federal Policy Changes Expanding Take-Home Methadone Doses From Opioid Treatment Programs.”Oxycodone: Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opioid prescribed for moderate to severe pain management, such as in post-surgical recovery. It is the active ingredient in drugs like OxyContin. Oxycodone has a high potential for
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