In this free online course you will learn what opioids are, why they are used, and why opioid use (or misuse) is considered to be a crisis. Opioids are a class of drugs that include pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone, codeine and morphine; synthetic opioids such as fentanyl; and the illegal drug heroin.

Opioids are often used as medicines because they contain chemicals that relax the body and can relieve pain. Opioids can also make people feel very relaxed and "high" - which is why they are often used for non-medical reasons. However, this is dangerous because opioids are highly addictive. Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die from overdosing on opioid drugs. The misuse of and addiction to opioids is considered to be a national crisis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total "economic burden" of prescription opioid misuse is $78.5 billion per year. A recent study by the Boston Medical Center's Grayken Center for Addiction, claims that aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies to doctors is a direct cause of the ongoing opioid abuse epidemic in the US. 

This free course will be of great interest to all learners who would like to learn more about the use of opioids as medicines, why these drugs are so highly addictive, and the human and economic costs associated with opioid addiction. So, start the course today and learn valuable information about opioid medicines and the opioid crisis.