The number of individuals abusing pain medications is at a record high. For years now, it has become quite the health disaster, and it keeps on claiming many lives on a daily basis. As it stands, it is estimated that a total of well over 12 million individuals in the U. S alone are addicted to using one or more painkillers and opiate-derived drugs. The problem has been exacerbated ten-fold owing to the ease of access to the substances. They are readily available, and this gives the authorities a real headache when it comes to controlling their flow and distribution and when dealing with opiate addiction treatment.