Painkiller restriction linked to  increase in illicit drug trading

In this study, the term opioids refers to drugs that are usually available by prescription but here are sourced illegally through the dark net and are not prescribed by anyone.

The findings show that the proportion of sales of opioids through illicit markets doubled over the study period and sales of more potent opioids also increased.

Overdose death rates have quadrupled in the US since 1999, and 40% of all deaths involve prescription opioids*, which are primarily used for pain relief.

In October 2014, the US Drug Enforcement Administration decided to move hydrocodone opioids from schedule III to schedule II (a more restrictive category), making it more difficult for patients to access these drugs on prescription and stopping automatic repeat prescriptions.

Source: US painkiller restriction linked to ‘significant’ increase in illicit online drug trading