Final answer:
The abuse of prescription opioids, including pain relievers like oxycodone and illegal drugs such as heroin and fentanyl, has risen dramatically over the past five years, leading to the opioid epidemic.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of prescription drug that has seen a dramatic increase in abuse over the past five years is opioids. This rise in opioid abuse includes both prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, Vicodin, and methadone, as well as illegal drugs like heroin and fentanyl. The opioid epidemic affects various demographics and has been driven by factors including an increase in the medical use of prescription painkillers, the availability of heroin as a cheaper alternative, and the scarcity and high cost of prescription pills, which has led to a transition to more dangerous substances.
Beginning in the 1990s, a dramatic increase in the prescription of opioid medications, such as OxyContin, contributed to rising misuse and addiction rates. The crisis worsened as heroin, often cheaper and more accessible, became the substitute for those already addicted to prescription opioids. This shift, combined with aggressive policing of pill mills and the introduction of potent synthetics like fentanyl, exacerbated the issue, resulting in a significant spike in overdose deaths. It is estimated that about 80 percent of new heroin users started by misusing prescription painkillers, highlighting the direct connection between prescription opioid misuse and the uptake of heroin.