As the opioid crisis shows no signs of slowing down, one of the biggest revelations was how significant a role prescription drugs played. After all, if a doctor signs off on something for a legitimate medical reason, it can’t harm you, right?

Wrong.

The instructions on the bottle aren’t a misprint. And whenever someone takes too many, “borrows” pills from a friend, or continues to get refills long after the injury is healed, the misuse of these drugs can not only lead to addiction but the pursuit of cheaper, more dangerous opioids once the desired effect has worn off.

Withdrawal from prescription drugs is challenging and unpleasant, which is why many people with the best of intentions struggle without professional intervention.

• Misuse of prescription drugs is highest among young adults ages 18 to 25, with 14.4 percent reporting nonmedical use in the past year. Among youth ages 12 to 17, 4.9 percent reported past-year nonmedical use of prescription medications.
• In 2016, there were an estimated 42,000 opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States.
• Every day, 46 people die from a prescription opioid overdose.
• Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids were five times higher in 2016 than in 1999.
• An estimated 2 million Americans misused prescription pain relievers for the first time within the past year, which averages to approximately 5,480 initiates per day, according to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
• Of the 67,000 overdose deaths in 2018, almost 70% involved a prescription or illicit opioid.
• It’s estimated that 80% of individuals who use heroin began by abusing prescription opioids.