(Salt Lake City, UT)  –  Researchers at the University of Utah think they may have a solution to the growing epidemic of opioid abuse and addiction.  Doctors at the university are studying the venom from a type of snail that is a safer long-term treatment for people with chronic pain.  Their research shows the extract of cone snail venom can help treat the root cause of pain in the body rather than masking the pain for a short period.  The research is being funded by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Defense Department.