Final answer:
Schedule II opioid prescriptions for acute pain often have a days supply limit of three to seven days to reduce addiction and misuse risks. Strict regulations led to a black market, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl becoming deadly alternatives to prescription opioids. Electronic opioid prescriptions are recommended to enhance control.
Step-by-step explanation:
The days supply limit for Schedule II opioids for acute pain is typically set by law and can vary by state, but it is often restricted to a short period, such as three to seven days. This limit is in place to help reduce the risk of opioid addiction and misuse.
The opioid crisis has been fueled by factors including aggressive marketing of opioid medications in the 1990s, claims of non-addictiveness which were later proven false, and subsequent stringent regulations leading to a rise in black market activity. Pharmaceutical opioid drugs like morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone are commonly prescribed for moderate to severe pain, but their potential for addiction and misuse has resulted in tightened prescription controls. As supply became stricter, prices on the black market soared while heroin and stronger synthetic opioids like fentanyl became cheaper alternatives, albeit with higher risks of overdose and death.
In response to the crisis, regulations have become more stringent, as evident by the FDA's 2013 recommendation for tighter controls on opiate prescriptions, making electronic prescriptions for opioids an increasingly common requirement for practitioners.