Many people who have surgery continue to use prescription painkillers long after their operation.
That's according to a new University of Michigan study of 36,000 surgical patients with no past history of opioid abuse.
About 6-percent were still taking prescribed opioids three months after undergoing a major or minor procedure.
People who abused illegal drugs or alcohol prior to surgery were most at risk for long-term opioid abuse, as were patients who struggled with chronic pain or anxiety.
