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• Opioids are drugs made from the opium poppy plant or drugs synthetically created to be chemically similar.
• There are legal opioids like prescription pain relievers. Teens have access to legal prescription opioids such as oxycodone (OxyContin,® Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), oxymorphone, codeine, morphine (Kadian,® Avinza®), and fentanyl right in their home medicine cabinets.
• Some opioids, like heroin, are illegal.

• Prescription pain relievers and heroin are chemically similar and produce similar effects. People can become addicted to both and overdose on both.
• Some people get addicted to prescription opioids and then switch to heroin.
• In some communities, heroin is cheaper and potentially easier to get than prescription opioids, which is why some people who are addicted to prescription opioids sometimes switch.

Behavioral effects:

• Change in grooming like not brushing their hair or teeth or not bathing

• Change in mood

• Lack of interest in grooming or cleanliness

• Bad grades, missing classes, or skipping school

• Loss of interest in favorite activities

• Changes in eating and/or sleeping habits

• Trouble in their relationships with family or friends

Physical effects:

• Constipation

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Dry mouth

• Sleepiness and/or dizziness

• Confusion

• Slowed breathing

• Itching or sweating

Most opioids are prescribed as painkillers. They block pain signals sent from the brain to the body and release a large amount of a chemical called dopamine. This relieves the pain and results in a feeling of being high.

• Some opioids, like heroin, are very addictive, and even ones prescribed by a health care provider can be highly addictive.
• Some people who begin using prescription opioids move on to heroin or other illegal street drugs.
• Many of these drugs can be cut with fentanyl, an opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin, which greatly increases the risk of overdose and death.
• Increased tolerance occurs over time, which requires the individual to use greater and greater amounts to achieve the same effect. This makes them more likely to overdose.

Teens and others misuse opioids by:

• Taking a prescription in ways other than instructed, like taking more than prescribed or taking it more often.
• Getting and using prescription pills from a friend or family member, even if it’s for a real medical condition.
• Taking prescription drugs to get high.
• Mixing prescription opioids with alcohol or other drugs.
• Crushing pills or opening capsules, dissolving the powder in water, and injecting the liquid into a vein, or snorting the powder.

• Opioids slow down bodily functions like breathing and heartbeat. Too much can cause a fatal respiratory depression.
• Even if a user doesn’t die from the overdose, the lack of oxygen can result in a coma or brain damage.