Opioids are a class of powerful drugs that are known for their pain-relieving properties and include prescription painkillers, fentanyl, and heroin. Some physicians prescribe opioids to treat acute pain following procedures or injuries, as well as chronic pain. Because the brain and body build a tolerance to opioids quickly, studies have shown that any type of opioid use comes with the risk of addiction.

Addiction and opioid-related deaths across the nation have been steadily increasing over the last two decades. According to the Wisconsin Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the problem can be traced back to the 1990s with the overprescribing of prescription painkillers. When these drugs became harder to get valid prescriptions for, heroin use increased. Today, fentanyl is often found in illegal drugs because it is powerful – up to 50 times stronger than heroin – and cheap to produce. Because of fentanyl’s strength, overdoses are common and often fatal. According to the DHS, 86% of opioid deaths in 2020 in Wisconsin were attributed to a synthetic opioid like fentanyl.