oxycontin

Drug Policy and Pain

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Wed, 07/18/2012 - 3:03pm

By: Nicole Seguin

Last week the New England Journal of Medicine (NJEM) brought to light a saddening issue about addiction and pharmaceutical pain medication, namely OxyContin. While this is an important issue to raise for public discussion, I found that the media coverage of this story lacked some context. Our society is still developing our understanding of addiction, be it of illicit substances or the abuse of pharmaceutical medication, and so we need to constantly evaluate and reevaluate our policies on this issue. Those policies have national, and international, consequences.

The pharmaceutical painkiller OxyContin contains oxycodone, which, like heroin, is derived from opium poppies. Since its introduction a growing number of patients prescribed the substance, as well as people who bought the drug illegally, have become addicted. This has prompted the manufacturer to change the formula of the OxyContin pill in 2010 to make it more difficult to inject or inhale. After the formula was changed, the name of the drug was changed as well, to OxyNeo. The letter published by NJEM showed that since the change to the formula, rates of opioid substance abuse, and the substance used, changed drastically. Those who identified OxyContin as their primary drug used dropped by over 20% just one year later. Over the same time period, use of other opioids such as Fentanyl and hydromorphone rose by over 12%. The substance used to 'get high' in the past month was also asked of respondents, and use of heroin was found to have almost doubled. Read more »

In London's east side, OxyContin is king

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 8:42am
By: Adam Radwanski, Globe and Mail
 
Deb Matthews has seen the stats that show her province has the worst rate of prescription-drug addiction in the country. And she’s heard the stories: northern cities fighting a losing battle, native communities torn apart, small towns contending with thefts and break-and-enters so residents can feed their habits.
 
But Ontario’s Health Minister doesn’t need to go far afield to find motivation for the policy response she’s set to begin rolling out in the coming weeks. She just has to wander a few blocks from her constituency office.

Manitoba addictions expert quits job

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Wed, 05/26/2010 - 4:11pm
CBC News
 
One of Manitoba's foremost experts on addictions is leaving her job out of frustration.
 
Dr. Lindy Lee said the addictions unit at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre is overwhelmed with people addicted to opiates such as OxyContin and codeine.
 
The unit needs to be expanded into a full clinic to deal with the growing demand, she said, noting that staff are so overwhelmed they can't assist people when they first call for help.
 
"It needs a whole organized clinic…an outpatient clinic. And although we've asked for that, it's not happening and the workload is no longer manageable," Lee said.

Province cracks down on OxyContin use

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Thu, 03/25/2010 - 12:00pm

CBC News

The province is placing new restrictions on people's access to the prescription painkiller OxyContin in an effort to curb the illegal use of the drug.

OxyContin, a derivative of the opium poppy, is highly addictive and known on the street as "Hillbilly Heroin" because of the narcotic effects it produces.

The illegal sale of the drug has been increasing on the streets of Winnipeg in recent years.

A single tablet can sell for as little as $5, depending on available supply. In rural areas of Manitoba, the drug is often sold for much more, sometimes as high as $40 per dose.

Read more »

OxyContin more abused than crack: rehab centre

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Wed, 03/03/2010 - 7:57pm
CBC News
 
OxyContin, the widely prescribed painkiller, has overtaken crack cocaine as Ottawa's most commonly abused drug, a residential drug treatment centre says.
 
OxyContin is a slow-release form of oxycodone and similar to morphine in its effect and addictiveness. When the drug is chewed or crushed and inhaled, it produces a rapid "heroin-like effect euphoria," according to Health Canada.
 
"It's a whole warm sensation throughout your body," said Jamie Walsh, a recovered OxyContin addict. "All your troubles, all your worries fade away."
 
Read more »

Prescription drug abuse overtakes street drugs

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Thu, 02/25/2010 - 3:10pm
Posted By KELLY MCSHANE, SPECIAL TO THE PACKET AND TIMES
 
A crackdown on street drugs may be the catalyst for a rise in the abuse of prescription medications, police say.
 
"The availability of street drugs has declined, which is good, but now people are switching over to prescription drugs, which are more difficult for us to control," said Insp. Don Goard, who heads up Orillia's OPP detachment.
 
Goard said the switch in drug sources was expected.

Specifically, Goard said there has been an increase in the use of OxyContin, a medication generally prescribed for the relief of severe pain.

Read more »

Painkiller seized in Winnipeg drug bust

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Tue, 02/23/2010 - 10:16am
By Chris Kitching, QMI Agency
 
WINNIPEG -- At a time when addiction and black-market sales are on the rise in Winnipeg, city police officers have made one of their largest seizures of OxyContin, a highly addictive opiate.
 
Saturday’s bust reflects a growing problem of OxyContin abuse in local homes, especially in one age group, a support worker says.
 
“It seems to be the younger generation who’s addicted to OxyContin,” said Laurie Magee, manager of Addictions Foundation of Manitoba’s methadone program, which has a lengthy waiting list of people seeking treatment.
 
Magee said the most dominant group tends to be middle-class high school and university students.
Read more »

P.E.I. methadone program nearly doubles

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Tue, 01/26/2010 - 9:33am
CBC News
 
There are almost twice as many people getting addiction treatment through P.E.I.'s methadone program than there were 18 months ago.
 
Methadone is used by people trying to get off their addictions to heroin or painkillers such as Dilaudid or OxyContin. There are now 140 people in P.E.I.'s methadone program, and another 50 on a waiting list. A year and a half ago there were just 80 people in the program.
 
Dr. Don Ling, a consultant at the Mount Herbert addictions facility, told CBC News on Monday that most people in detox used to be trying to get off alcohol.
 
"Now it's almost even," said Ling.
 
Read more »

OxyContin painkiller still the number one addiction problem here in Sault Ste. Marie

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Thu, 01/07/2010 - 12:42pm
Posted By Bob Mihell, Sault This Week
 

Sault pharmacist Manuel dos Reis, in response to a question about mortality rates related to use of prescription opioid painkillers locally, said, "Guaranteed. I have had patients pass away from overdoses. That is not anything new."

Read more »
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