Forgive my ignorance and this question isn't directed at anyone in particular. Antipop's post just happened to make me think about it. Is the high or sensation or whatever derived from painkillers the same as what's achieved through heroin?
Deadening on the senses, yes. Many of the pills are Opioids, which Heroin is as well.
A lot of people start popping pills, then just taking a pill isn't enough. They'll snort a crushed pill, hell, find ways to inject it. Then, you might as well do heroin, but that stuff is far too powerful or tainted and a lot of people OD from it.