St. Thomas Overrun by OxyContin

Hillbilly Heroin, kicker, oxy...call it what you want, it’s all the same.  Local police have become alarmed for these small yellow/white pills that are becoming a big problem. It’s a narcotic painkiller called OxyContin and it is highly addictive.  It’s also called Percocet, Oxycocet, and Percodan when mixed with other things such as aspirin.  These oxycodone-based drugs are for moderate to sever pain.  However the treatment has side effects of euphoria, or an intense feeling of pleasure, which makes the drug so appealing and addictive. Health Canada states, “With the purest form of the drug, OxyContin, pills are time-released when taken normally, but when chewed, inhaled through the nose or injected, the effects become stronger.”  So strong, that it’s hard not to get addicted to the feeling of stimulation.  People become reliant on that feeling and continue to abuse the drug in order to get that high again and again. Serious consequences can come from the abuse of oxycodone.  An overdose can cause circulatory collapse or cause individuals to…

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Mothers Fighting Together Against OxyContin

We are impressed with a recent article we read inthe Outer Banks Sentinel about mothers who have teamed up to fight against the rampant OxyContin abuse that is occurring in the Northeast. The group in Dare County has been spurred on by the fatal and near fatal overdoses experienced by their loved ones and family members. The story of Ward Blanchard is recounted and is a typical one.  "He never drank or did a drug until he was 25 years old." His mother said.  An autoimmune disease exposed him to OxyContin and other opiates and he went down the all too familiar road of opiate addiction. If you live in the area, Get involved with the Dare Coalition Against Substance Abuse. Other Good Articles Relating to OxyContin: The American Double Sacrifice follows the story of a corporal who became addicted to painkillers in the course of combat in Afghanistan.  The story and many quotes are recounted in the article as well as a link about the website and book:…

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Today is International Drug Overdose Awareness Day

We love to see the Salvation Army starting an International Overdose Awareness Day. This day is not so much about specifically OxyContin overdose (or the heroin that many users of Oxys end up abusing), but just overdoses in general. This site was started due to the overdoses we witnessed.  If it were not for the grief that we witnessed from the families and friends of those who became ensnared in opiate addiction, we would not have been compelled enough to undertake this. The Salvation Army has a touching page of tributes which are moving to read.  I don't see anywhere to add them.  Since this site is inundated with spam comments I recommend leaving a tribute (should you feel the need to) on this treatment center blog article about Awareness Day. Today we would like to take this opportunity to reach out to those who are still alive.  If you are addicted or know someone who is, then this is your chance.  Take action. Get help. Pick up the…

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More on the OxyContinuum from Steve Bruno

The below is reprinted from Interventionist Steven Bruno's newsletter.  He can be contacted by calling 800-880-0330 or visiting http://www.MoreThanHope.com Why is it that almost all of my interventions these days seem to have to do with the pain-killer OxyContin? It didn't used to be like this. Take "Sandra" for example, (not her real name): she is 22 years old, from Washington state, and, until two years ago, was an honor student with bright blue eyes, shimmering hair framing rosy cheeks and a broad smile.  I got her into treatment this past week so hopefully that smile will return. But it's gone now. Over the course of two short years she became depressed and isolated; a shadow that her own family barely recognized.  She dyed her hair black and smeared on heavy mascara and thick make-up to cover her acne scars. When the family hired me to do the intervention, "Sandra" was living with a drug dealer, working in a strip club, shooting and smoking OxyContin and was completely alienated…

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PrescriptionAddictionRadio.com

Larry Golbom is a pharmacist who definitely understands the dynamics of the silent epidemic of prescription drug addiction in America.  "Larry G" hosts a radio show every Sunday night from 9-11 PM (EST) to make listeners aware of the dangers of drugs like OxyContin.  You can listen to the radio show and listen to the archives on PrescriptionAddictionRadio.com. Larry G's site has a wealth of information and links that will be enlightening to the individual who is suspicious about the legality of benefit of OxyContin. I would highly recommended starting off by listening to "Oxycontin - Biggest medical hoax in last 100 years." In this .mp3 download, Larry G draws a great parallel between Purdue Pharma's promotion of OxyContin in the 1990s and Bayer's promotion of   heroin in the 1890s.  Both companies profited by promoting these highly addictive substances with medical "studies," promotional gifts,  and free samples. Larry G is on the forefront to the battle against the unethical prescribing of narcotic painkillers.  Be sure to click on some…

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The “New Silk Road” of Heroin Smuggling

Kazakhstan is a country known mainly to Americans as the home of Borat, the farcical character perpetrated on the world by comedian Sasha Baron Cohen. However, Kazakhstan also sits on the “New Silk Road” of heroin smuggling that connects Asia and Europe. Afghanistan supplies and estimated 90% of Europe’s heroin (and 75% of the world’s heroin).  Global political and economical factors have created a “perfect storm” of supply and demand for heroin between the manufacturers in the east and the consumers in the west (read about the Global Heroin Manufacturing Empire). The New Silk Road of heroin smuggling is through the poor republics of the former Soviet Union.  The poverty in this region makes it rife with willing participants and the under trained and poortly equipped police forces can’t compete with the multi billion dollar industry. The city of Almaty in Kazakhstan is a particular hub. Last year about 30,000 kilos were trafficked into Europe through this city.  Authorities in the area struggle to make a dent in this…

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