Georgia Coastal Health District

Opioids: Basic Facts and Information

What are opioids?

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Opioids are drugs that reduce the feeling of pain. When opioids are used incorrectly (sometimes called ‘misuse’), opioid medications can increase the chance of developing opioid use disorder (OUD) – a long-term brain disease that can hurt your physical, mental, and emotional health. Accidental overdose (taking more medicine than you need) and death can also happen if opioids are misused. Click here for more opioid basics from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Opioids include prescription opioids, fentanyl, and heroin.

• Common types of prescription opioids are oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), morphine, and methadone.
• Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever. Approved for treating severe pain, such as advanced cancer pain. However, most recent cases of fentanyl-related harm, overdose, and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl. Click here for “The Facts About Fentanyl” from the CDC.
• Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive opioid drug.

For more information, visit the CDC Stop Overdose webpage.