| Originally from the poppy seed, opium was used for analgesia in China, where it first became a drug of abuse. It has been used for over 4,000 years. It was brought to this country and western medicine during and after the Civil War, when it quickly became a drug of abuse here as well. Opioids can be prescribed and / or recreational for use and abuse. Healthcare costs are estimated over 1 billion dollars annually. [13] | |
