Pubdate: Thu, 09 Jun 2005
Source: Wakefield Observer (MA)
Copyright: 2005 Community Newspaper Company
Contact:  http://www2.townonline.com/wakefield/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3791
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)

GENERATION Rx

Health experts say OxyContin abuse has become rampant in Massachusetts, 
resulting in addiction, criminal activity and overdoses - especially among 
young people. (See stories, page 1.) Wakefield  is not exempt from the 
problem, according to local lawmakers, attorneys and  substance abuse 
counselors.

The people  in law and order say OxyContin, a prescribed painkiller, is a 
hop, skip and a  jump away from heroin; the prescription answer to an 
illegal drug. Most teens  and 20-somethings wouldn't touch heroin normally. 
But "OCs" come in pill form  and it seems young people mistakenly believe 
it can't hurt them. They try  OxyContin for the high that is so popular and 
quickly get hooked. The habit  forces many abusers to swap to heroin, a 
similar high for a much cheaper cost.

The  pharmaceutical market is bloated these days with treatments for every 
ailment.  It's easy to see how a generation raised amid Ritalin and Viagra 
could underestimate the dangers of a prescription drug.

A pill or  two at a party can easily escalate to a habit that takes painful 
withdrawal,  thousands of dollars and chronic relapses to kick. And it's 
not just OxyContin;  high school and college students by the millions are 
abusing other painkillers  like Percocet and Vicodin and anti-anxiety 
medicine like Klonopin and Xanax.

That's why  state and federal drug prevention money needs to be directed at 
the problem,  instead of just street drugs and alcohol. And parents can 
help by making  prescription drugs part of the conversation about saying 
no. Meanwhile,  drug companies need to say loud and clear what the risks 
are; that OCs, for  example, can cause addiction or overdose if not used as 
directed. They also need  to be good corporate citizens by coming up with 
less addictive versions of their  drugs - or risk seeing them banned.
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