Opium is a substance made from the latex of the opioid poppy. It has been used to treat pain for millennia. Opium is the source of morphine and all opioid drugs are derived from it in some way.
As you might expect, opium itself is extremely addictive. Raw opium is also very hard to get in the US; the term “opium abuse” likely refers to someone abusing one of the many substances made from opium.
Treating opium addiction is difficult, but not impossible. Recovery from opioid abuse is, as is the case with all opioid drugs, challenging and unpleasant. A monitored, professional detox center can make withdrawal symptoms and the earlier steps easier to bear.
