Hydrocodone and Fentanyl Abuse Is Growing Problem

pioid analgesics are commonly prescribed for pain management in the United States. Al-though prescription painkillers such as oxy-codone and methadone have been highly pub-licized in recent years, there are other opioids that are less recognized but used and abused as or more often. Growing use, both licit and illicit, of hydro-codone and fentanyl makes these opioids of particu-lar interest to governmental regulatory agencies, cli-nicians, and clinical and forensic toxicologists alike. Opioids can be diverted for illicit use through “doctor shopping, ” altered or fraudulent prescrip-tions, malpractice of physicians and pharmacists, and theft. The Office of Diversion Control of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has placed both hydrocodone and fentanyl on its “Drugs an