The power of painkillers: Misuse and overdose | Sunday Investigates

If you’ve ever had surgery, a toothache, or painful periods, you’ve probably experienced the power of painkillers.
Morphine, codeine and tramadol are all strong pharmaceutical solutions to relieve debilitating pain, using opioids.
But opioids are extremely addictive, and once hooked, people are faced with difficult mental and physical symptoms.
Thousands of New Zealanders are receiving treatment for opioid use disorder, but is this long-running programme leaving patients vulnerable to misuse and overdose?
And are other, newer options needed?
Reporter: Mava Moayyed
Producer: Lee Taylor
Cameras: Rewi Heke, Tory Evans
Editor: Kate Linklater
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