Opioids

When people think of opioid use or addiction, they may think of street opioids such as heroin or fentanyl. However, problematic opioid use can also include improperly taking prescribed opioid medications or taking an opioid medication that was not prescribed for you.  

Examples of opioids include morphine, fentanyl, heroin, dilaudid, oxycontin and codeine. 

Fentanyl is a synthetic drug that can be up to 100 times more potent than other opioids. It is a legal prescription drug generally used to manage pain. Because of its strength, the dose must be carefully monitored to prevent accidental overdose. The emergence of fentanyl in the illegal drug market is of particular concern because it may be added to other street drugs. The high potency of fentanyl drastically raises the risk of overdose.  

Opioids are a class of powerful drugs that are usually prescribed to treat severe pain. If opioids are abused, they can create feelings of intense pleasure or euphoria, but they can also lead to a fatal overdose.  

Opioids come in many forms, including: 

• tablets 
• capsules 
• syrups 
• liquids for injection 
• nose sprays 
• skin patches

The risk of addiction increases if opioids are taken for more than eight weeks for non-cancer pain.  

You can return your unused or expired prescription to many pharmacies in New Brunswick to ensure safe disposal. Do not flush medicine down the toilet or sink.

Harmful opioid use is defined by a group of symptoms and behaviours that indicate a person is both physically and psychologically dependent on the substance. These include:

• using over a longer period or using more than planned
• trying unsuccessfully to quit
• failing to fulfil responsibilities at work, school or home because of opioid use
• continuing to use opioids despite the negative consequences
• giving up activities that were once enjoyable
• using opioids in dangerous situations
• needing to take more of the drug to get the same effect
• feeling ill when opioid use suddenly stops (withdrawal, a sign of physical dependence)
• running out of prescription medications early
• drawing on many sources for opioids (e.g., prescriptions from two or more physicians or both a prescription and street opioids)
• showing signs of opioid intoxication (e.g., dizziness, difficulty breathing, pinpoint pupils) 

Opioid addiction involves more than just physical dependence. For example, a person with cancer who is prescribed opioids for severe pain may experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking the medication but is not addicted.

Opioid addiction also involves psychological dependence. This means that the drug is so central to the person’s life that the need to keep using becomes a craving or compulsion, even if the person knows that using it is harmful.