To get a glimpse of their belief here is the excerpt of an article about OxyContin being most common abused drug on the streets of Western Pennsylvania.

"OxyContin is just fashionable right now. It's sort of a fad drug. Predictions are that in a year or two the fad will pass and we'll have to worry about something else," said Leon Rodriguez, first assistant U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh.

As we all know that didn't happen and today, nine years later, OxyContin is still a formidable drug addiction that destroys lives, families and properties. Some were wondering weather enough emphasis and resources is being poured in that fight against drug abuse. By Jonathan D. Silver, the writer of the article wrote: "Although Pennsylvania has joined Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia on the short list of states with widespread OxyContin problems, no one is calling it an epidemic" intervention.

He again writes in that article “with startling speed and sometimes deadly consequences, the prescription painkiller OxyContin has shifted from sensation to scourge in Western Pennsylvania”

"It just took off overnight," said Rod Miller, the chief detective in the Cambria County district attorney's office and a task force supervisor.

The users of OxyContin were reported to range from teens to 70 year old addicts. They were from Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, from the private schools to low income neighborhoods. In Johnstown, there were reports of pharmacy break-ins and strong-arm robberies where only OxyContin is taken. Addiction to OxyContin was described by those abusing it to be powerful and overwhelming.

One 20 year old addict that was interviewed for that article described his addiction this way "On a regular day, a good day, I'd do up to about 250 milligrams a day, 300 easy," he said. "Ten, 15 minutes after I'd wake up, I'd need something in me to get me down the stairs to talk to my wife and kid."

The ground zero for abuse in the article printed 9 years ago was described to be Cambria County, which had seen at least eight OxyContin-related deaths since 1999, running just ahead of Blair County's seven deaths, according to the coroners in both counties. There also have been deaths attributed to OxyContin in Butler, Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Somerset counties.

These days, prescription drug abuse is one of the major reasons for a drug addict to check in to a rehab facility. Drug rehab facilities have learned and have changed a lot from 9 years ago. There are special programs in place in many good drug rehab facilities dealing specifically with prescription drug abuse by teens or by adults. Two such facilities are Inspirations for Youth and Families, aka Inspirations Teen rehab and Cove Center for Recovery, an adult rehab center.

Sources:
http://www.justice.gov/dea/pubs/state_factsheets/newjersey.html

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