Prince passed away a couple weeks ago, and it is now clear that he too struggled with an addiction to painkillers - likely what killed him.

Prescriptions for opioid painkillers have risen by 300 percent over the past 10 years.

Deaths from overdosing on these drugs now far surpass those from illicit street drugs.

Americans use the most opioids of any nation — twice the amount used by Canadians, who come in second place in terms of prescriptions. In Alabama, which has the highest opioid prescription rate in the U.S., there are 143 prescriptions for every 100 people.

Mind you, this is a doctor prescribed addiction.

This growing addiction is not to blame on recklessly trying street drugs. Clearly there is a growing need for monitoring prescription drugs as the side-effects are often as dangerous - if not more - than the symptom it is prescribed for.

Reference: Forbes May 5, 2016