by noreply@blogger.com (Heritage Home Foundation)
26. March 2010 18:53
According to a new report from the CBC, OxyContin has become the most commonly abused drug in Ottawa. OxyContin has overtaken crack as the most commonly abused drug in Ottawa. In 2007-08 alone, about $54 million worth of OxyContin prescriptions were filled in Ontario. As well, in the five-year period between 2004 and 2009, over 450 deaths in the province were associated with OxyContin abuse.
However, the province is also taking this trend seriously.
Recently, the Ontario Health Ministry announced that it would lead a national investigation into
OxyContin addiction and use. The province is also looking at imposing new guidelines for prescribing the drug and introducing a tracking system to help curb “double doctoring”, where patients seek out several health professionals in order to obtain multiple prescriptions for either personal use or resale.
OxyContin is highly lucrative, with very high profit margins. In response, Ottawa has also seen a rash of pharmacy robberies.
OxyContin is a
prescription painkiller from the oxycodone family. As an opiate, it is similar to morphine and heroin. When chewed or crushed and snorted, it produces a rapid heroin-like euphoria.
OxyContin, and prescription medications in general, have come under great scrutiny with several celebrity deaths associated with their abuse.
The rise of Oxycontin addiction has been seen across Canada.
Source: CBC News
