Opioids, as described by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroine, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain killers readily available by prescription such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine and many others. They are considered safe when they are taken as prescribed by a doctor and for a short period of time, however, regular use can increase tolerance and dependence and ultimately, lead to addiction.

Nigeria continues to battle an opioid abuse crisis. With expensive drugs like heroin out of reach for many unemployed youths, they are turning to cheap alternatives such as tramadol, an opioid painkiller, and taking them in life threatening doses in search of a fix. A drug use survey released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime found that over 14% of Nigerians aged between 15-64 abuse drugs, which is more than twice the global average of 5.6% (read more at https://aphen.africa/t/tackling-the-opioid-crisis-in-nigeria/1052)