percent of opioid users who started with rx drugs
âMost of the heroin users now, their first opioid exposures are the prescription drugs. Thatâs true for at least 80 percent of todayâs heroin addicts,â Compton said. âThatâs very different than 30 or 40 years ago, when the first opioid was heroin.â. Read More: Concerns Raised Over Prescriptions Given to Seniors Â».