painkillers
Prescription drug abuse overtakes street drugs
Posted By KELLY MCSHANE, SPECIAL TO THE PACKET AND TIMESA 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.
