Appalachian Pillbillies

Appalachia is the cultural region that stretches along the famous Appalachian Mountain Trail. If you visit this area, the verdant rolling hills and breathtaking natural landscapes are hard to miss. However, when one looks beneath the beautiful facade, one uncovers a debilitating and dark pattern of widespread prescription drug abuse. Although prescription drug abuse is not an uncommon in other areas around the world, addiction to natural or synthetic opioids or painkillers (such as oxycodone, morphine, codeine, methadone, among others) has reached unprecedented levels in Appalachia. The abuse is so widespread that, in fact, a new term has been coined solely to describe those addicted: pillbillies. Why are Opiates So Popular in Appalachia? The high rate of addiction in Appalachia is thought to be caused in part by the pervasive poverty of the area, where the poverty rate is three times the national rate. Unfortunately, the high poverty rate both causes and is caused by the higher frequency of prescription drug abuse. Those who are addicted have trouble maintaining…

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On the Dangers of Teen OxyNEO Abuse

Teen prescription drug use is a disturbing trend that has drifted beyond the boundaries of parental control and government order. A compelling documentary has been released called "Behind the Orange Curtain," which chronicles the prescription drug abuse of residents of Orange County’s wealthy neighborhoods. The prestigious community has been bombarded with incidences of teenagers overdosingon a variety of prescription pills in pursuit of drug- induced pleasure. One of the most popular preferences for teenage drug abuse is the infamous OxyContin tablet. Medically distributed as a highly potent pain reducer, OxyContin offers an expensive high for thrill seekers and is extremely addictive. One may experience a number of side effects from using the drug, but deadly results can occur when it is consumed with alcohol. This often causes a serious problem for young adults who often combine prescription drugs with liquor at parties. According to recent reports, OxyContin frequently leads individuals to seek harsher drugs, specifically heroin. Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of the drug OxyContin, even redesigned the drug and…

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Prescription for Death – The Transition from Oxy to Heroin

The leading cause of accidental death in the United States is prescription drug abuse. Prescription drugs are responsible for more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Painkillers like OxyNEO which contains oxycodone, are actually derived from the opium poppy. They are just as addictive as their heroin. People that would never dream of doing heroin, are okay with taking a pill - especially one that comes from a doctor. That's one of the reasons so many have become addicted to opioids in the past decade. They seem harmless in the beginning. OxyNEO is meant to be a continuous release drug, and has some very sophisticated ingredients which make it difficult to abuse (by crushing up to snort or inject). OxyNEO's predecessor OxyContin was commonly crushed up to facilitate getting a massive dose of the narcotic painkiller immediately. Crushing up OxyContin would break the binding agent, allowing them to get the full dose of the drug. You could snort it, eat…

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More Info on PDM or Prescription Drug Misuse

Prescription medication misuse –accurately called “misuse” or PDM – by adolescents, early adults and mature adults is a mounting issue in California and the country. Prescription medications that are misused or taken for non-medical motives may change brain activity and cause addiction. Of course, OxyNEO is a frequently misused medication but there are many others that fall into the following categories: - opioids (regularly given to relieve discomfort) - central nervous system depressants (regularly given to relieve anxiety and sleep conditions) - stimulants (given to relieve narcolepsy, ADHD, and obesity). Continuing usage of opioids may lead to physical need and dependence. Used in excessive quantities, stimulants may lead to habitual usage, paranoia, fatally elevated body fevers, and irregular heartbeat. In 2006, 16.2 million Americans had used a prescription tranquilizer, pain reliever, sedative, or stimulant for non-medical reasons at minimum on one occasion in the year previous to being assessed. And this is a number that has grown exponentially in the ensuing years (we are waiting fornew data). Prescription Drug…

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OxyNEO News and Updates – The Word on the Street

We're watching the ticker for news about OxyNEO and a few recurring themes are popping up. 1. OxyContin Users are Not Happy With OxyNEO The slow release and apparent stomach irritating formulation of oxycodone known as OxyNEO is apparently not "sitting well" with those who are used to the effects of OxyContin. We've been monitoring forums where users are frequently searching for alternatives to OxyNEO (some alternatives that have been mentioned are OxyIR and Fentanyl). 2. Alternative Drugs are Being Sought out Of course, the black market is where a lot of the opiate trade goes down and apparently in Canada the popularity of Fentanyl is off the charts as OxyNEO (the "tamper proof" replacement for OxyContin) is not a preferred "high." 3. Heroin is Filling the OxyContin Void As always, we expect an increase in heroin use and abuse as it gives the same sensation as oxycodone drugs. Presumably there will also be an increase in fatal and non-fatal heroin overdoses. According to an article in the Brandfort-Brant…

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Opioids – 5 to 10 Percent Will become Addicted

Opioids are a class of pain relieving drugs that include oxycodone (e.g., OxyNEO, Percocet), morphine (e.g., Kadian, Avinza), hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin), codeine, and some other related drugs. These highly effective painkillers have many useful applications, from relieving post-operative surgery pain to relieving the pain associated with cancer. They are also useful for stopping pain from dental procedures, certain chronic pain conditions, and moderate to severe pain from traumatic injuries. Opioids can be safe when used as directed, but many people become dependent on them. They wrongfully assume that since these drugs are approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and available to the public through a prescription, that they are not harmful. However, according to Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, at the National Institute of Health, approximately 5 to 10 percent of individuals who take opioids on a regular basis become addicted. Furthermore, those with a personal or a family history of alcohol or drug abuse are the most vulnerable to dependency. When…

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The Role of the Family in Prescription Drug Treatment

Nearly 2 million Americans from all walks of life are currently dependent on prescription drugs. The stereotypic image of a drug addict as a young adult shooting up heroin or snorting cocaine has been replaced by the new face of addiction. Today’s drug addict may be someone who holds down a job and has family responsibilities. In many cases, family members are painfully aware that their loved one’s use of prescription drugs has spiraled into addiction but they don’t know how to help. oxyneo treatment The Chicago Tribune recently published an article that includes guidelines for those who have discovered that a spouse or other family member is abusing prescription drugs. Although each family and each case of addiction is unique, experts have defined a general road map for treatment and recovery that includes the following steps. • Take action. The addict may not be motivated to seek treatment, so family members should take responsibility for researching treatment options. For many families, intervention can • Find appropriate help. Treatment…

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Awareness about OxyNEO Addiction

Our team of addiction reporters is here to report and bring further awareness about the highly addictive nature of opiate medications like OxyNEO. OxyNEO is the New Face of OxyContin Purdue Pharma has been harshly criticized (and some executives have been criminally prosecuted) for the release and effects of the drug OxyContin.  OxyContin is such a powerful opioid medication that it is only appropriate for extreme pain - like terminally ill cancer patients. Purdue Pharma irresponsibly marketed the drug and through misdiagnosis and unethical prescribing many doctors unleashed the drug on patients who were utterly unprepared for the  habit forming nature of the drug.  Compounding this was recreational use by people (especially young adults) who mistakenly perceived the drug as less sinister than illegal street drugs.  The instance of addiction and overdose overwhelmed many families. "Sticky OxyContin" or "tamper proof OxyContin" was released in 2010 to try and prevent the rash of overdoses and met with some success. OxyNEO is the latest "re-branding" attempt by Purdue Pharma to continue…

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