There are at least three key interrelated factors that contribute to the individual vulnerability to developing opioid addiction once self-exposed, including psychosocial and environmental factors, neurological and pharmacological adaptions to exposure and genetic factors.4 Genetic susceptibility to drug abuse and dependence has been studied based on dependence in general and also and in relation to specific drug categories, particularly opioids,5,6 with up to 54% of the associated risk in developing opioid dependence reported as being attributable to genetic factors.7
