Oxycontin
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OxyContin
In the past decade, the use of prescription painkillers has grown at an astonishing pace, presenting numerous problems to society. The Associated Press reports that since 1998, the use of oxycodone, the active component in OxyContin has grown almost 600%. The primary supplier responsible for such a colossal increase has been privately held pharmaceutical company, Purdue Pharma L.P.’s potent new narcotic, OxyContin. The company, whose mission statement is to focus on the needs of patients, recently achieved an important victory in its patent infringement litigation relating to patents covering the pain medicine. Heralded as a miracle drug for those people suffering from severe chronic pain, OxyContin has developed a stigma as the new drug of choice for countless abusers of prescription pain medications across.
Oxycodone, the active component found in OxyContin, is a powerful chemical that has been in use around the world for decades. It is in a class of drugs called “narcotic analgesics”. These drugs are used in the treatment of pain, with oxycodone specifically being used to manage only moderate to severe cases where less potent drugs are not adequate enough. When taken as directed, most often in the form of tablets taken orally, oxycodone produces analgesia. Analgesia is defined by Encyclopedia Britannica Online as the loss of sensation of pain (Analgesia, ж1). Sufficient enough to nullify even some of the most agonizing conditions, side effects of the drug include sleepiness and strong feelings of elation and relaxation, which also heighten the comfort level of the patient (Drug Information, OxyContin, ж5).
While oxycodone is remarkably effective at treating pain, care must be taken in the event that long term usage is required, as tolerance to the drug followed by physical dependence may develop. Over time, the body becomes acclimated to the presence of the drug, and if its use is then discontinued, the body goes through a period of withdrawal. Symptoms of withdrawal include anxiousness, restlessness, and an intense craving for the drug. Soon after, the body begins to perspire followed by true withdrawal which is characterized by sneezing, massive appetite loss, vomiting, abdominal cramping, tremors, weakness, and insomnia.
As mentioned before, in 1996, Purdue Pharma L.C. introduced the powerful painkiller, OxyContin. Meant only to be used when specifically prescribed for certain circumstances the drug quickly gained in popularity amongst other audiences. Known now on the street as OCs, oxy, and oxycotton, the drug itself contains large amounts of oxycodone in a controlled-release tablet that allows it to work for 8-12 hours. Previous, generic forms of OxyContin only held effectiveness for 5 hours or less. There are two striking differences between OxyContin and previous generics which existed before the patented version. The first is the amount of the active oxycodone ingredient. Traditional versions contain 2.5 mg, 5mg, or 10mg of oxycodone, whereas OxyContin contains 10 mg, 20mg, 40mg, or even as high as 80mg. Amounts of oxycodone as great as those in OxyContin would be very dangerous to the patients they are prescribed to be it not for the time-release method. This method ensures that especially in pills with doses as high as 80mg, that it doesn’t penetrate the bloodstream all at one time. However, arguably the most intriguing difference between OxyContin and older preparations is the fact that the former contains no measures to deter abuse. Older drug companies had smartly chosen to add a substantial amount (325-750mg) of acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, which is very difficult and quite unpleasant to abuse. However, OxyContin is only available in tiny pills with no safeguards against any methods of illicit use, making it a prime candidate for such misuse.
OxyContin’s abuse potential is so high due to the fact that crushing the pill circumvents the time-release mechanism, therefore allowing the entire dosage to be released at once, which produces extremely strong euphoria, comparable to the effects produced by heroin. Indeed, the term “hillbilly heroin” has entered media jargon as a nickname for OxyContin (Chevat 22). Doses as large as 40mg and 80mg released all at once are dangerous even if taken orally, which is the least extreme method of drug use. However, OxyContin abusers rarely use this method. Most commonly, abusers will crush the pill into a fine powder, and then proceed to snort the powder through their nose, which enables stronger effects that onset more rapidly than those felt when taken orally. However, the effects are felt for a shorter duration. This method has gained popularity for several reasons: it can be done with no paraphernalia, minimal preparation time is required, and it is safer and less intimidating than injection. Repeated abuse via this method has the possibility to damage nasal membranes, which may result in nose bleeds, pain, and infection. However, DrugScope, the UK’s leading independent center of information and expertise on drugs, claims that the risk of such damage has been exaggerated.
The second method of OxyContin abuse involves the injection of the drug intravenously, which produces the absolute strongest results with the most rapid onset. This method has huge downfalls which can easily lead to fatal errors, especially with inexperienced users. Non-medical professionals are not trained to use injection devices, nor are they equipped with the knowledge to judge the dosage of drugs dissolved in liquid. Finally, the most well known and publicized problem with injecting drugs is the risk taken that the equipment is contaminated or infected. Consequences arise when users contract a blood borne disease: prominent ones include HIV and the Hepatitis viruses (DrugScope UK, ж19).
OxyContin abuse imparts consequences on countless people, many of them victims of a growing trend of irresponsibility and selfishness. Legal consequences are one of the primary methods of deterring abuse. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has declared oxycodone a Schedule II controlled substance, which they define as a drug that is physically or psychologically addictive, has a high potential for illegal abuse, but that has a currently accepted medical application (DEA, ж7). This makes it a crime to possess oxycodone for any reason without a valid prescription from a licensed doctor. Punishments assessable to people who violate the law by possessing drugs containing oxycodone, include fines, probation, and jail time. Punishments depend largely on the quantity of the illegal substance that is in the abusers possession.
OxyContin abusers also suffer great financial hits. The price of the