How often is that though? Is there research on this? What % of new opioid addicts come from doctor prescribed pain medication? I'm genuinely curious.

>Of those who began their opioid abuse in the 1960s, more than 80% indicated that they initiated their abuse with heroin. In a near complete reversal, 75% of those who began their opioid abuse in the 2000s reported that their first regular opioid was a prescription drug.

http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1...

The US prescribes far more opioids than any other country.

http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/WDR2011/Sta...

In 2009 0.57% of the population between 15 and 64 took opiates (products of the poppy such as opium or heroin) and 5.9% of the same population took opioids, of which 5.6% were prescribed opioids.

It's got much worse since then.

Roughly 10% of people taking opioid medication will become addicted to them. (Mostly people taking it long term).

https://www.dea.gov/divisions/hq/2015/hq110415.shtml

> Since 2002, prescription drug deaths have outpaced those of cocaine and heroin combined. Abuse of controlled prescription drugs is higher than that of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, MDMA, and PCP combined.

Thanks, this is not the information I was asking for though. I was asking for the % of new opioid addicts began their addiction from medication prescribed to them.