The intervention arm will be mailed an evidence-based, theory-driven direct-to-consumer educational brochure, highlighting the potential benefits and harms of opioids when used to treat chronic non-cancer pain.

This arm will receive the intervention at the completion of the six-month follow-up period for the intervention group.

The intervention arm will be mailed an evidence-based, theory-driven direct-to-consumer educational brochure, highlighting the potential benefits and harms of opioids when used to treat chronic non-cancer pain.

Provincial prescription insurance claims will be used to measure whether or not opioids are dispensed to community-dwelling adults randomized to either the intervention or control groups between baseline and 6-month follow up. Prescription data contain information on all dispensed prescriptions including drug name, dispensing date, dosage, drug form, the quantity of the drug dispensed, and the license number of the physician who wrote the prescription. Discontinuation of an opioid will be defined as the lack of a prescription claim for at least 60 days.

The magnitude and direction of dose changes will be assessed for people who do not achieve the primary endpoint of complete cessation. New pharmacy dispensing of a prescription for a lower strength, or supply of a reduced quantity of tablets/patches will be considered in the dose reduction calculation. Where substitution to an alternative opioid occurs, opioid doses will be converted to "oral morphine equivalents" to determine the magnitude and direction of the change. A therapeutic switch will be indicated by a new dispensing for an alternative medication class.