What are opioids?

Prescription opioids (such as OxyContin, Percocet, Opana, and Vicodin) can be used safely to treat pain when they’re taken the way a doctor tells you to take them. For some people, opioids can be addictive and can cause serious health problems – even an overdose or death.

Street opioids (like heroin) are more dangerous than prescription opioids because they can have harmful drugs or chemicals mixed into them. There is no way to know what has been mixed in them. This means that you might be at risk of an overdose. Street opioids can also have different strengths depending on who or where you buy them from. Sometimes, street opioids are made into fake prescription pills. If you use street opioids, there are some steps you can take to prevent overdose.