Final answer:
This question deals with the abuse and addiction potential of prescription drugs, particularly opioids.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the prescription drugs that are addictive and commonly abused. The opioid crisis began in the 1990s when pharmaceutical companies aggressively marketed opioids like OxyContin as non-addictive pain relievers. However, these medications led to high rates of misuse and addiction. Opioids can lead to physiological addiction in less than a week, even when taken as prescribed. Withdrawal symptoms often include pain, which can perpetuate the cycle of dependency.
Many patients who became addicted to prescription opioids turned to cheaper alternatives like heroin or synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, which is many times stronger than morphine, when prescriptions became harder to obtain or more expensive. Law enforcement's crackdown on pill mills and the reformulation of drugs like Oxycodone created shortages and increased street prices, driving individuals towards these more dangerous substances. This has led to a significant increase in drug overdoses, revealing the severity of opioid abuse and the need for effective treatment and rehabilitation.