America's addiction: pharma and the opioid epidemic

Opioids are powerful painkillers and undoubtedly have a role to play in managing severe short-term and chronic pain, but it is their side effects which so often prove problematic. The sense of euphoria and wellbeing induced by opiates is recognized as highly addictive and naturally makes opiate-based drugs open to abuse.

Legitimate patients all too often resort to taking more than prescribed by their doctor or than is required to manage their pain, in order to chase the high, becoming physically and/or physiologically dependant in the process.

"In 2007, Purdue and three of its executives pleaded guilty in a federal court to charges of misleading regulators, doctors and patients over the risk of addiction and potential for abuse by misbranding OxyContin."