Opioids have long been used to treat acute pain (such as post-operative pain). They have also found to be invaluable in palliative care to alleviate the severe, chronic, disabling pain of terminal conditions such as cancer. Contrary to popular belief, high doses are not required to control the pain of advanced or end-stage disease, with the median dose in such patients being only 15mg oral morphine every four hours (90mg/24 hours), i.e. 50% of patients manage on lower doses.  In recent years there has been an increased use of opioids in the management of non-malignant chronic pain. This practice has grown from over 30 years and has become a serious problem.
Opioid indications
Opioid withdrawal
Opiate withdrawal
Addiction
Cocaine dependence
Exercise bulimia
Alcohol withdrawal
Inhalant use disorder