Final answer:
Opioids are the second most frequently used illicit drug after marijuana among young adults. The opioid crisis originated from the overprescription of painkillers, leading to widespread addiction. Both legal and illegal substances can have significant psychoactive and addictive effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Opioids are second only to marijuana as the most frequently used illicit drug among young adults. While marijuana holds an increasingly complicated legal status with both recreational and medical use being legalized in many states, opioids, which include both legal prescription medications and illegal narcotics, are used illicitly by a rapidly growing number of individuals. The misuse of opioids has led to what is now commonly referred to as the opioid crisis, stemming from the overprescription of opioid painkillers in the 1990s that subsequently led to widespread addiction issues. It is important to recognize that both legal and illegal drugs have psychoactive effects on the brain, which can alter mood, perceptions, thinking, and behavior, sometimes leading to the compulsive use and addiction despite negative consequences.