The United States and Canada are in the midst
of an epidemic of the use, misuse and overdose of opioids, and deaths
related to overdose. This is the direct result of overstatement
of the benefits and understatement of the risks of using opioids
by advocates and pharmaceutical companies. Massive amounts of prescription
opioids entered the community and were often diverted and misused.
Most other parts of the world achieve comparable pain relief using
fewer opioids. The misconceptions about opioids that created this epidemic are
finding their way around the world. There is particular evidence
of the increased prescription of strong opioids in Europe.
