include the generic medications hydrocodone, oxycodone,
hydromorphone, and fentanyl. The brand names are OxyContin,
Percocet, Percodan, Vicodin, Demerol, Roxanol, Opana, Zohydro,
and many others. The terms
opiate
and
opioid
are often used
interchangeably in the media, with
opioid
the most common.
•
Methamphetamine
is an illegal and highly addictive synthetic
stimulant. Unrelated to opioids or opiates, it can still cause
overdose deaths.
•
Cocaine
is another illegal and highly addictive stimulant, also
unrelated to opioids or opiates. Cocaine comes from the leaves
of the South American coca plant.
•
Sedatives
are the generic name for a class of drugs called
benzodiazepines (such as Valium and Xanax). Doctors
prescribe benzodiazepines and antidepressants such as Zoloft,
Prozac, and Cymbalta much more often than opioid painkillers.
Overdose deaths in the United States from these medications
are also on the rise.
•
Taking a combination of drugs and alcohol
is extremely
dangerous and more likely to lead to death than using
either alone.
Doctors and law enforcement officials categorize prescription
painkillers and heroin as narcotics. While people may call any illegal drug
a narcotic, medical and legal experts most often use the word for drugs
related to the opioid family. The word
narcotic
comes from a Greek word
meaning “to make numb,” and that’s just what these drugs do. When used in
moderation, prescription painkillers are very effective at relieving pain and
promoting sleep. When used in excess, these drugs can kill.
Along with heroin, prescription painkillers can cause euphoria, or a high,
an extreme sense of well-being that users often wish to experience over
and over. The high comes from the way the drugs change the chemistry
in the brain. However, when taken in excess, narcotics depress the brain’s
Addiction and Overdose in America
11
