Final answer:
Crack and meth are not opioids; they are stimulants. Opioids are drugs like heroin and prescription painkillers such as codeine and methadone, often leading to the current opioid crisis due to their addictive nature and overprescription in the past.
Step-by-step explanation:
Crack and meth are not considered opioids. Opioids are drugs that are derived from the opium poppy, or are synthetic versions that mimic the natural compound. They include drugs such as heroin, morphine, methadone, and codeine, which are used for their analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. They work by mimicking endogenous opioid neurotransmitters in the body, which bind to opioid receptors reducing pain and producing euphoria. Crack is a form of cocaine, a stimulant, and meth refers to methamphetamine, another type of stimulant. Neither of these substances derive from the opium poppy or work on the opioid receptors in the brain.
The opioid crisis refers to the dramatic increase in addiction and overdose related to opioids, which began as pharmaceutical companies pushed prescription painkillers, like OxyContin, with the false promise that they were non-addictive. This led to an epidemic of abuse and overdose, which is considered one of the worst drug crises in American history. Treatment for opioid addiction sometimes includes the use of methadone, a synthetic opioid that helps manage withdrawal symptoms without the same addictive properties as other opioids. The misinformation about the addictive nature of opioids and the aggressive marketing of these drugs in the 1990s were significant contributors to the current crisis.