The prevalence of opioid dependence (OD) is at epidemic levels and significantly affects public health and social and economic well-being. The use of opioid medications for analgesia is common, and opioids are considered a gold standard for pain control. However, they are also highly addictive, and are, along with heroin1, the leading contributors to the ongoing epidemic of opioid misuse and the high rate of fatal overdoses2–4.
