Why did OxyContin abuse spread so rapidly compared with that of other narcotics like Percocet?
Because of its purity. All the previous painkillers were a combination of oxycodone, and either aspirin or acetaminophen. OxyContin is pure oxycodone, so you can take one Oxy and it’s like getting heroin that’s been stomped on. It’s a huge bang for your buck. Clearly OxyContin has been a boon for many people — cancer patients and others with long-term pain — most of who don t ever abuse it. You see a pattern with painkillers like OxyContin, antidepressants, and other drugs. And that pattern is that drugs that do have value in a specific setting see their use broadened without any scientific basis to justify that taking place. Two recent examples include the broadening use of Ritalin and antidepressants in children. How and why a drug’s use expands is a fascinating story. It tells us a lot about the ways that doctors operate, drug companies operate, and what are society’s anxieties, demands, and expectations. Treatments become popular without scientific evidence to back their populari
