Poll: Most opioid users unaware sharing them is a felony

The National Safety Council released the results on Thursday of a public opinion poll that showed almost 70 percent of opioid prescription-painkiller users don't know that sharing the medications is a felony.

In most states, sharing narcotic opioid painkillers, such as oxycodone or hydrocodone, is the legal equivalent to selling heroin and is punishable by up to seven years in prison.

"Forty-five people die every day from overdosing on prescription painkillers," Deborah Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council, said. “These medications are federally controlled substances and gateway drugs to heroin. Sharing drugs is never worth the risk, especially when non-addictive, over-the-counter pain relievers are often better options.”

Additional key findings from the public opinion poll:

• Nine out of 10 opioid painkiller users are not worried about addiction as a side effect, although 60 percent of users have at least one addiction risk factor.
• Sixty-nine percent of opioid painkiller users believe opioids are the most effective medications to treat pain.
• Americans believe gun violence, commercial airline travel and severe weather are more noteworthy threats to their safety than opioid painkillers.
• Many Americans are unaware that they have taken opioid painkillers.

The poll results were released in advance of National Poison Prevention Week, March 15-21.