Nationally, almost 17 people in every 1000 received a strong opioid, with most receiving morphine (11.2 per 1000). "Strong opioids are very effective at managing pain – but evidence shows the longer they are used, the less effective they are." The commission's figures showed 8368 people were prescribed fentanyl last year with the figures steadily trending up from 3410 people in 2011. Of the more than 8000 people prescribed fentanyl in 2016, almost 2000 were dispensed the drug for six weeks or more. In Whanganui last year, the rate of fentanyl prescriptions was 5.2 per 1000 people – almost triple the national average.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 27, 2017 20:03 UTC