Opioids: Inform Yourself
Opioids include heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, codeine, and fentanyl. These drugs are used as pain relievers and increase feelings of pleasure, but they also can be addictive. And they can be deadly in high doses, if taken in combination with other drugs, or to someone with certain pre-existing medical conditions. Opioid misuse and abuse represent a public health crisis in Wisconsin. Treatment is effective. Recovery is possible. Visit Wisconsin Department of Health (DHS) Opioid Resources to learn more about prevention and treatment.
Troubling Statistics
In 2014, more Wisconsin residents died from drug overdoses than from motor vehicle crashes, and the number of drug overdose deaths in the state doubled from 2004 to 2014.
Prescription opioid pain relievers contributed to 47 percent of the 843 drug overdose deaths in 2014, while heroin contributed to 32 percent.