We already know prescription painkillers can cause problems and lead to dependence and addiction. But now a new warning issued by The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has law enforcement on high alert, particularly near the Canadian border.
According to the alert Canada has approved non-abuse resistant generic versions of oxycodone, and these drugs are expected to hit the Canadian market within the next month, as early as January 2013. This is alarming because oxycodone is the active ingredient in OxyContin, Percocet and dozens of other painkillers.
While the drugs may be legal for our neighbors to the north, they are no longer available in the US market. OxyContin had a time-release formula that delivered the drug over a 12 hour period, but when crushed the entire dose was immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. This made the pills attractive to abusers who would misuse them to produce a cheap, powerful high.
Prescription painkillers are at the heart of the addiction epidemic, having killed more Americans than heroin and cocaine combined according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to a recent report by CNN approximately 12 million Americans 12 and older reported using prescription painkillers recreationally in 2010.
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If you or someone you love needs treatment for painkiller addiction, call La Paloma at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.
