- Numbers
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74 Deaths locally from opiate overdoses between Jan. 1, 2004 and Aug. 31, 2006.
300 Members registered to support-group Learn to Cope's Web site.
4,434 People from region treated in emergency rooms for opioid-related abuse from 2003-2005.
23 Average age of addicts who died from October through December 2006.
to The Enterprise
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OxyContin's pain relief ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER  OxyContin contains oxycodone, a narcotic that has been abused in various medications for 30 years. (Craig Murray/The Enterprise) "It was the only thing that worked," he said. But then, after five years, his doctor stopped the prescription, fearing the man was becoming addicted. It was already too late. Today, the 45-year-old man, who once ran his own painting business and didn't want his name used, is on methadone to overcome his addiction to the heroin he turned to when the OxyContin was gone. "The number one thing for me was getting rid of the pain," he said. While teens and young adults are experimenting with - and getting addicted to - OxyContin bought illegally or swiped from medicine cabinets, there is another group of addicts who had been prescribed the drug by a doctor. It wasn't what OxyContin was supposed to be. When Purdue Pharma put OxyContin on the market in 1996, the drug was hailed as a breakthrough in the treatment of severe and chronic pain. It was called a "miracle drug" by patients with chronic pain and offered relief to those with cancer. Then users discovered that crushing the time-release tablet and snorting or injecting the powder produced a heroin-like high. OxyContin contains oxycodone, a narcotic that has been abused in various medications for 30 years, according to the Office of Drug Control Policy. The drug produces opiate-like euphoric effects. and those who keep taking it can develop a tolerance. According to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 3 million people aged 12 or older had used OxyContin non-medically at least once in their lifetime - up from 2.8 million in 2003. Maureen Boyle can be reached at mboyle@enterprisenews.com. |
Heroin info
What heroin does
» Gives user a surge of euphoria, or "rush."
» Creates feeling of warmth on skin, a dry mouth and heavy extremities.
» After the rush, users go "on the nod," an alternately wakeful and drowsy state.
» Clouds mental function.
» Depresses respiration.
» Can cause collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, and liver disease over prolonged use.
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Heroin slang
» Big H, smack, hell dust: Heroin
» A-bomb: Marijuana mixed with heroin
» Dragon rock: Heroin mixed with cocaine
» Nose drops: Liquified heroin
Signs of heroin addiction
» Missing spoons, or burn marks on the bottom of spoons
» Belts with teeth marks on them
» Powder on coins
» Itching
» Sweating
» Pinned pupils
» Weight loss
» Dark eye circles
» Track, or needle marks
» Discarded cigarette filters (used to filter the heroin)
When you stop using heroin
» Withdrawal symptoms can appear in a few hours.
» An addict can suffer from vomiting, insomnia, muscle and bone pain, restlessness, diarrhea, and cold flashes.
» Major symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose.
» Symptoms can subside after a week.
» People in poor health can die.
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