Heroin and Other Opioids

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others.

Vermont's past year prescription opioid misuse is slightly lower than the U.S. average, while heroin use is slightly higher

U.S. and Vermont opioid rates: all opioids 3.1%, 2.7%; heroin 0.2%, 0.4%; prescription misuse 3%, 2.6%,, respectively.

^Source:^{State Level Data National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2022-2023}

The percentage of Vermonters reporting prescription pain reliever misuse is going down significantly in Vermont, particularly for 18-25 year olds.
While past year heroin use remains under 1% for people 12 and older (as it does for all states), Vermonters in the 18-25 year-old age group have among the highest use rates in the country.
A report from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration found that in any given year almost 80% of people who are new to using heroin in the U.S. had misused prescription pain relievers.
Vermont prescription drug misuse has slowly gone down and access to treatment for those dependent on opioids has increased (similar to the national trend).

Learn more on the Opioid Overdose Dashboard.

Health risks of opioid use

short-term and long-term physical and mental effects
Dependence and addiction Increased sensitivity to pain Constipation Nausea, vomiting, and dry mouth Sleepiness and dizziness Confusion Depression Slowed heart rate Difficulty breathing Death

Reducing health risks of opioid use

Opioids that have been prescribed to you:

Don't drink alcohol while using opioids
Talk with your doctor about minimum dosage and duration or about pain management alternatives to opioids
Never share your prescription opioids
Store opioids in a secure place and safely get rid of unused medication

Learn more patient information.