Prescribing opioids (narcotics) for cancer pain was not considered to pose significant risk for abuse of the medication, diversion which is the selling or trading of a drug, or addiction given their short-term use.
However, since providers have been prescribing opioids for chronic, non-cancer pain, the abuse of prescriptions opioids has greatly increased. In recent years, there has been a seven fold increase in Emergency Department visits and overdose deaths related to oxycodone alone. Other studies have shown that the rate of prescription opioid abuse has surpassed the rate of heroin use.
The companies that make opioids are try to help by making abuse-deterrent pills. The pills make it difficult or impossible to remove the opioid by crushing, biting, snorting, or injecting it. The hope is that this will reduce the risk of abuse, addiction, as well as diversion as the street value will be decreased.