Prevalence and incidence of prescription opioid analgesic use in Australia.

Rates of opioid use have remained high since 2013, with approximately 3 million adults using opioids and over 1.9 million adults initiating opioids each year. Between 2013 and 2017, opioid prevalence has slightly increased but incidence has decreased. People without cancer account for the majority of opioid use and are more likely to be initiated on short-acting and weak opioids. Initiation of strong opioids has increased over time, reinforcing concerns about increased use and the harms associated with strong opioids in the community.