Is the pain medication your doctor prescribed an opioid or an opiate? 

Opioids and opiates are both considered pain medications, but what’s the difference? An opiate is a natural derivative of the poppy seed plant, while opioid is a broader term—it can be an opiate or a synthetic (i.e., man-made) drug. A wide variety of opioids are available; regardless of the names, they are all highly addictive.  

The list below contains the generic and names of common prescription opioids and opiates. (Note that the list is in alphabetical order, not grouped by the same medication. For example, Demerol is the brand name of Merperidine, but the two are not listed together.) Check this list to see if your prescription is an opioid.