Heroin / Fentanyl / Illicit Opioids / Fentanyl Analogs
Legal Status
Terms such as legal, prescription, and illicit describe the circumstances in which a drug is produced, obtained, possessed, or used—not necessarily the drug itself.
Drugs such as fentanyl may be legally prescribed in one context and illegally manufactured, obtained, possessed, shared, or sold in another. Taking a medication differently from how it was prescribed is considered medication misuse, but it is not necessarily a criminal offense. Heroin and fentanyl use can have significant health and social consequences and, in some circumstances, may also lead to legal or child-welfare consequences.
Last updated 2026-09-16.
Articles
5 articles- American Society of Addiction Medicine Public Policy Statement on Substance Use Disorder Among Pregnant and Postpartum People
- Optimizing Outcomes for Women With Substance Use Disorders in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period.
- ACOG Committee Opinion: Opioid Use and Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy
- Opioid Use and Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy
- The Maternal Lifestyle Study: Cognitive, Motor, and Behavioral Outcomes of Cocaine-Exposed and Opiate-Exposed Infants Through Three Years of Age