Prescription Drug Abuse Claims Brittany Murphy?

While Brittany Murphy’s death has been ruled from “natural causes”, the fact remains that ten prescription bottles with highly addictive drugs have been found on her nightstand.

Many celebrities have succumbed to prescription drug abuse, whether they died of an accidental overdose or used prescription drugs combined with alcohol, or street drugs such as cocaine and heroin, the fact remains that prescription drug abuse is rampant. According to National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in 2008, 15.2 million Americans age 12 and older had taken a prescription medicine for non-medical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed.

Is it little wonder that Michael Jackson, Dana Plato, Keith Moon, Anna Nicole Smith, Elvis Presley, Heath Ledger, DJ AM, Margaux Hemingway, Howard Hughes, and Marilyn Monroe, to name a few, have died because of prescription drug abuse?

If Brittany Murphy’s toxicology results are positive for drug abuse, she will be the latest in a long line of celebrities that could not break the habit of abusing pills. Several, including Burt Reynolds and Robbie Williams, have admitted to beating prescription drug abuse, but how many more are still battling this addiction in secret, often going from doctor to doctor to get their “fix”?

While many celebrities battle with stress and popularity, turning to street drugs as well as prescription drugs, millions of less famous are also battling their own problem with prescription drug abuse. In fact, prescription drugs are more commonly abused than cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, marijuana is the only other drug that is more widely abused.

Prescription Drug Abuse

What can we do about this?

“Be aware that prescription drugs, while helpful when used correctly, can also be quite addictive,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center. “Teach children that prescription drugs are dangerous and not to take them unless prescribed by a doctor. Be aware of the signs of drug abuse and get help if someone you know is addicted.

“Be safe in the New Year and get help if needed. No one needs to die from prescription drug overdoses if we look out for one another.”

The holidays are times for friends and families to get together, in many cases with ones they haven’t seen in a while. What do you do if you notice or suspect that they may have a drug problem?

Holiday Drug Rehab

Believe it or not, the best time for drug or alcohol rehabilitation is during the holidays. The addict is kept safe, leaving all free to enjoy themselves. Holiday depression that can lead to further drug abuse is replaced by hope.

“Unfortunately, the holiday season brings to light problems or situations where people realize that someone they know and love may need rehab,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab Georgia. “Actually, the best time for drug rehab is during the holidays. These can be depressing, which can lead to more drug abuse; these can be dangerous, as drug addiction can take their life.”

The Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia announced a campaign to make the Atlanta Recovery Center services available to as many families as possible during the holiday season.   Help with financing and partial scholarships for those who qualify are all part of The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia’s effort to make 2010 the best year for as many people as possible.

The Director stated:  “Today many people are worried about the economy and with an addict in the family the stress is even greater.  Now that the holidays are upon us, many families need guidance during these trying times.   I founded The Atlanta Recovery Center because I someone close to me had become addicted to drugs.  The Atlanta Recovery Center turned out to be the only methodology of treatment that was helpful after many failed attempts at drug rehab.  I wanted others to have the same joy that I had in seeing someone get their life back.  In many ways, I got my life back too.

“I want to spread the word during this holiday season that I absolutely know that 2010 can be the best year in the life of someone who does the Atlanta Recovery Center program.    I feel so strongly about this that I am inviting anyone with an addiction problem to call me personally.”

“Have you finished your holiday shopping yet? If there is a drug abuser in your life, put rehab on the list.

“At the Atlanta Recovery Center we have activities planned throughout the holidays and families are invited to join in the festivities. The best time to start the program is now, so that the client can be well through the program by holiday time.

“Bring in the New Year with a new life. The Atlanta Recovery Center is the New Life program. Start yours today and let it continue for many years to come.”

For more information on drug rehab, drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

Recognize Adderall Addiction

Amphetamines were developed in the beginnings of the 20th century. As use of amphetamines spread, so did their abuse. In the 1960s, amphetamines became a perceived remedy for helping truckers to complete their long routes without falling asleep, for weight control, for helping athletes to perform better and train longer, and for treating mild depression. Intravenous amphetamines, primarily methamphetamine, were abused by a subculture known as “speed freaks.” With experience, it became evident that the dangers of abuse of these drugs outweighed most of their therapeutic uses.

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia warns about amphetamine addiction.

“Amphetamines, whether prescription drugs, such as Adderall® or Dexedrine®, or illegal methamphetamine, can cause drug addiction that ruins the drug addict’s life,” states Mary Rieser, Executive Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia. “A drug addiction will make the drug addict do anything they can, legal or illegal, to obtain more of the drug.

“Don’t let this happen to you or someone you know. Reports indicate the high incidence of use of  amphetamine use in colleges around the country, especially Adderall®. Take care.”

Amphetamines

Amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, methamphetamine, and their various salts, are collectively referred to as amphetamines. In fact, their chemical properties and actions are so similar that even experienced users have difficulty knowing which drug they have taken.

Origins of Amphetamines

Amphetamine was first marketed in the 1930s as Benzedrine® in an over-the-counter inhaler to treat nasal congestion. By 1937, amphetamine was available by prescription in tablet form and was used in the treatment of the sleeping disorder, narcolepsy, and the behavioral syndrome called minimal brain dysfunction. During World War II, amphetamine was widely used to keep the fighting men going and both dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine®) and methamphetamine (Methedrine®) were readily available.

Increased control measures were initiated in 1965 with amendments to the federal food and drug laws to curb the black market in amphetamines. Many pharmaceutical amphetamine products were removed from the market including all injectable formulations, and doctors prescribed those that remained less freely. Amphetamine products presently marketed include generic and brand name amphetamine (Adderall®, Dexedrine®, Dextrostat®) and brand name methamphetamine (Desoxyn®). Amphetamines are all controlled in Schedule II of the CSA.

Methamphetamine Pipes

Illegal Amphetamine Use

To meet the ever-increasing black market demand for amphetamines, clandestine laboratory production has mushroomed. Today, most amphetamines distributed to the black market are produced in clandestine laboratories. Methamphetamine laboratories are, by far, the most frequently encountered clandestine laboratories in the United States. The ease of clandestine synthesis, combined with tremendous profits, has resulted in significant availability of illicit methamphetamine, especially on the West Coast, where abuse of this drug has increased dramatically in recent years. Large amounts of methamphetamine are also illicitly smuggled into the United States from Mexico.

Amphetamine Usage

Amphetamines are generally taken orally or injected. However, the addition of “ice,” the slang name for crystallized methamphetamine hydrochloride, has promoted smoking as another mode of administration. Just as “crack” is smokable cocaine, “ice” is smokable methamphetamine. Methamphetamine, in all its forms, is highly addictive and toxic.

Effects of Amphetamines

The effects of amphetamines, especially methamphetamine, are similar to cocaine, but their onset is slower and their duration is longer. In contrast to cocaine, which is quickly removed from the brain and is almost completely metabolized, methamphetamine remains in the central nervous system longer, and a larger percentage of the drug remains unchanged in the body, producing prolonged stimulant effects. Chronic abuse produces a psychosis that resembles schizophrenia and is characterized by paranoia, picking at the skin, preoccupation with one’s own thoughts, and auditory and visual hallucinations. These psychotic symptoms can persist for months and even years after use of these drugs has ceased and may be related to their neurotoxic effects. Violent and erratic behavior is frequently seen among chronic abusers of amphetamines, especially methamphetamine.

*Source: DEA.gov

For more information on drug rehab, amphetamine drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

Recognize Crack Addiction

Cocaine Drug Addiction Facts

Cocaine is the second most commonly used illicit drug (following marijuana) in the United States. According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 34 million Americans (14.7%) age 12 or older had used cocaine at least once in their lifetime.

“While coca leaves have been used for centuries by natives as a stimulant,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia,”Cocaine, however, which is a derivative of the coca leaf, has been abused for decades. Cocaine drug addiction can be devastating to the drug addict, as well as the family members surrounding them.

“Don’t let cocaine addiction ruin your life or those around you. Learn the facts.”

Origins of Cocaine

Cocaine, the most potent stimulant of natural origin, is extracted from the leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca), which is indigenous to the Andean highlands of South America. Natives in this region chew or brew coca leaves into a tea for refreshment and to relieve fatigue, similar to the customs of chewing tobacco and drinking tea or coffee.

Pure cocaine was first isolated in the 1880s and used as a local anesthetic in eye surgery. It was particularly useful in surgery of the nose and throat because of its ability to provide anesthesia, as well as to constrict blood vessels and limit bleeding. Many of its therapeutic applications are now obsolete due to the development of safer drugs.

Use of Cocaine

Illicit cocaine is usually distributed as a white crystalline powder or as an off-white chunky material. The powder, usually cocaine hydrochloride, is often diluted with a variety of substances, the most common being sugars such as lactose, inositol, and mannitol, and local anesthetics such as lidocaine. The adulteration increases the volume and thus multiplies profits. Cocaine hydrochloride is generally snorted or dissolved in water and injected. It is rarely smoked because it is heat labile (destroyed by high temperatures).

Crack Cocaine

“Crack,” the chunk or “rock” form of cocaine, is a ready-to-use freebase. On the illicit market, it is sold in small, inexpensive dosage units that are smoked. Smoking delivers large quantities of cocaine to the lungs, producing effects comparable to intravenous injection. Drug effects are felt almost immediately, are very intense, and are quickly over. Once introduced in the mid-1980s, crack abuse spread rapidly and made the cocaine experience available to anyone with $10 and access to a dealer. In addition to other toxicities associated with cocaine abuse, cocaine smokers suffer from acute respiratory problems including cough, shortness of breath, and severe chest pains with lung trauma and bleeding. It is noteworthy that the emergence of crack was accompanied by a dramatic increase in drug abuse problems and drug-related violence.

Effects of Cocaine

The intensity of the psychological effects of cocaine, as with most psychoactive drugs, depends on the dose and rate of entry to the brain. Cocaine reaches the brain through the snorting method in three to five minutes. Intravenous injection of cocaine produces a rush in 15 to 30 seconds, and smoking produces an almost immediate intense experience. The euphoric effects of cocaine are almost indistinguishable from those of amphetamine, although they do not last as long. These intense effects can be followed by a dysphoric crash. To avoid the fatigue and the depression of coming down, frequent repeated doses are taken. Excessive doses of cocaine may lead to seizures and death from respiratory failure, stroke, or heart failure. There is no specific antidote for cocaine overdose.

*Source: DEA.gov

For more information on drug rehab, cocaine drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

Dexedrine Drug Abuse

What Are Stimulants?

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia explains what stimulants are and the effect they have on the person abusing them.

“Education is the best tool we have to fight drug addiction,” states Director Mary Rieser, The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia. “The more information we have, the better chance we have of making the right choices. Too many children start using drugs because they think it’s cool and don’t know the dangers they are facing. Don’t let drug addiction occur because of ignorance.”

Effects of Stimulants

Stimulants, sometimes referred to as “uppers,” reverse the effects of fatigue on both mental and physical tasks. Two commonly used stimulants are nicotine, which is found in tobacco products, and caffeine, an active ingredient in coffee, tea, some soft drinks, and many non-prescription medicines. Used in moderation, these substances tend to relieve malaise and increase alertness. Although the use of these products has been an accepted part of U.S. culture, the recognition of their adverse effects has resulted in a proliferation of caffeine-free products and efforts to discourage cigarette smoking.

Illegal Stimulants

A number of stimulants, however, are under the regulatory control of the CSA (Controlled Substances Act). Some of these controlled substances are available by prescription for legitimate medical use in the treatment of obesity, narcolepsy, and attention deficit disorders. As drugs of abuse, stimulants are frequently taken to produce a sense of exhilaration, enhance self esteem, improve mental and physical performance, increase activity, reduce appetite, produce prolonged wakefulness, and to “get high.” They are among the most potent agents of reward and reinforcement that underlie the problem of dependence.

Stimulants are diverted from legitimate channels and clandestinely manufactured exclusively for the illicit market. They are taken orally, sniffed, smoked, and injected. Smoking, snorting, or injecting stimulants produce a sudden sensation known as a “rush” or a “flash.” Abuse is often associated with a pattern of binge use–sporadically consuming large doses of stimulants over a short period of time. Heavy users may inject themselves every few hours, continuing until they have depleted their drug supply or reached a point of delirium, psychosis, and physical exhaustion. During this period of heavy use, all other interests become secondary to recreating the initial euphoric rush. Tolerance can develop rapidly, and both physical and psychological dependence occur. Abrupt cessation, even after a brief two- or three-day binge, is commonly followed by depression, anxiety, drug craving, and extreme fatigue known as a “crash.”

Effects of Stimulants

Therapeutic levels of stimulants can produce exhilaration, extended wakefulness, and loss of appetite. These effects are greatly intensified when large doses of stimulants are taken. Physical side effects, including dizziness, tremor, headache, flushed skin, chest pain with palpitations, excessive sweating, vomiting, and abdominal cramps, may occur as a result of taking too large a dose at one time or taking large doses over an extended period of time. Psychological effects include agitation, hostility, panic, aggression, and suicidal or homicidal tendencies. Paranoia, sometimes accompanied by both auditory and visual hallucinations, may also occur. Overdose is often associated with high fever, convulsions, and cardiovascular collapse. Because accidental death is partially due to the effects of stimulants on the body’s cardiovascular and temperature-regulating systems, physical exertion increases the hazards of stimulant use.

*Source: DEA.gov

For more information on drug rehab, stimulant drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981. ]]> http://atlantarecoverycenter.com/categories/press-release/stimulants-cocaine-speed-methamphetamine-info/feed/ 0 http://atlantarecoverycenter.com/categories/press-release/narcotics-of-synthetic-origin-darvon-fentanyl-meperidine-talwin-butorphenol/ http://atlantarecoverycenter.com/categories/press-release/narcotics-of-synthetic-origin-darvon-fentanyl-meperidine-talwin-butorphenol/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:17:51 +0000 Atlanta Recovery http://atlantarecoverycenter.com/?p=2201 Atlanta Recovery Center Warns of Synthetic Narcotic Deaths

Narcotics of Synthetic Origin- Darvon, Fentanyl, Meperidine, Talwin, Butorphenol

In contrast to the pharmaceutical products derived from opium, synthetic narcotics are produced entirely within the laboratory. The continuing search for products that retain the analgesic properties of morphine without the consequent dangers of tolerance and dependence has yet to yield a product that is not susceptible to abuse. A number of clandestinely produced drugs, as well as drugs that have accepted medical uses, fall within this category.

“Synthetic narcotics are not usually associated with addiction, but many are now being associated with drug overdoses,” states Ms. Mary Rieser, Executive Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia.

“Heroin, cut with fentanyl, is a cause of many overdose deaths nationwide. Drug addicts don’t know what heroin is cut with, take an amount they think is normal, and die from an overdose. Fentanyl patches, used in pain relief for chronic pain, are stolen and used by drug addicts. The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia is concerned that these synthetic narcotics are being abused by teens who steal them from medicine cabinets. Lock these up; drug addiction is not what you want in your family.”

Meperidine

Introduced as an analgesic in the 1930s, meperidine produces effects that are similar, but not identical, to morphine (shorter duration of action and reduced antitussive and antidiarrheal actions). Currently it is used for pre-anesthesia and the relief of moderate to severe pain, particularly in obstetrics and post-operative situations. Meperidine is available in tablets, syrups, and injectable forms under generic and brand name (Demerol®, Mepergan®, etc.) Schedule II preparations. Several analogues of meperidine have been clandestinely produced. During the clandestine synthesis of the analogue MPPP, a neurotoxic by-product (MPTP) was produced. A number of individuals who consumed the MPPP-MPTP preparation developed an irreversible Parkinsonian-like syndrome. It was later found that MPTP destroys the same neurons as those damaged in Parkinsons Disease.

Dextropropoxyphene

A close relative of methadone, dextropropoxyphene was first marketed in 1957 under the trade name of Darvon®. Oral analgesic potency is one-half to one-third that of codeine, with 65 mg approximately equivalent to about 600 mg of aspirin. Dextropropoxyphene is prescribed for relief of mild to moderate pain. Bulk dextropropoxyphene is in Schedule II, while preparations containing it are in Schedule IV. More than 150 tons of dextropropoxyphene are produced in the United States annually, and more than 25 million prescriptions are written for the products. This narcotic is associated with a number of toxic side effects and is among the top 10 drugs reported by medical examiners in drug abuse deaths.

Fentanyl

First synthesized in Belgium in the late 1950s, fentanyl, with an analgesic potency of about 80 times that of morphine, was introduced into medical practice in the 1960s as an intravenous anesthetic under the trade name of Sublimaze®. Thereafter, two other fentanyl analogues were introduced: alfentanil (Alfenta®), an ultra-short (5-10 minutes) acting analgesic, and sufentanil (Sufenta®), an exceptionally potent analgesic (5 to 10 times more potent than fentanyl) for use in heart surgery. Today, fentanyls are extensively used for anesthesia and analgesia. Duragesic®, for example, is a fentanyl transdermal patch used in chronic pain management, and Actiq® is a solid formulation of fentanyl citrate on a stick that dissolves slowly in the mouth for transmucosal absorption. Actiq® is intended for opiate-tolerant individuals and is effective in treating breakthrough pain in cancer patients. Carfentanil (Wildnil®) is an analogue of fentanyl with an analgesic potency 10,000 times that of morphine and is used in veterinary practice to immobilize certain large animals.

Illicit use of pharmaceutical fentanyls first appeared in the mid-1970s in the medical community and continues to be a problem in the United States. To date, over 12 different analogues of fentanyl have been produced clandestinely and identified in the U.S. drug traffic. The biological effects of the fentanyls are indistinguishable from those of heroin, with the exception that the fentanyls may be hundreds of times more potent. Fentanyls are most commonly used by intravenous administration, but like heroin, they may also be smoked or snorted.

Pentazocine

The effort to find an effective analgesic with less dependence-producing consequences led to the development of pentazocine (Talwin®). Introduced as an analgesic in 1967, it was frequently encountered in the illicit trade, usually in combination with tripelennamine and placed into Schedule IV of the CSA in 1979. An attempt at reducing the abuse of this drug was made with the introduction of Talwin Nx®. This product contains a quantity of antagonist (naloxone) sufficient to counteract the morphine-like effects of pentazocine if the tablets are dissolved and injected.

Butorphanol

While butorphanol can be made from thebaine, it is usually manufactured synthetically. It was initially available in injectable formulations for human (Stadol®) and veterinary (Torbugesic® and Torbutrol®) use. More recently, a nasal spray (Stadol NS®) became available, and significant diversion and abuse of this product led to the 1997 control of butorphanol in Schedule IV of the CSA. Butorphanol is a clear example of a drug gaining favor as a drug of abuse only after it became available in a form that facilitated greater ease of administration (nasal spray vs. injection).

*source: DEA.gov

For more information on drug addiction rehab, narcotic drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

Narcotics: Poppy Field

Many people do not realize that opiates and narcotics come from three sources: natural narcotics, made from the poppy, semi-synthetic narcotics, which are the same substances which are more processed and refined, and completely synthetic opiates which don’t use any of the ingredients found in the poppy plant.

“The narcotic drugs that cause the most addictions are the semi-synthetics: heroin, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and hydrocodone,” states Mary Rieser, Executive Director for The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia.

“The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia is seeing more and more cases of narcotic drug addiction,” Ms. Riser continues. “Many of our clients start with a prescription drug addiction, then move over to a heroin addiction. Unfortunately, prescription drug abuse all too often leads to prescription drug addiction.

“Know the facts. Don’t get addicted to prescription drugs.”

The following narcotics are among the more significant substances that have been derived from morphine, codeine, or thebaine contained in opium.

Heroin

Heroin Addiction

First synthesized from morphine in 1874, heroin was not extensively used in medicine until the early 1900s. Commercial production of the new pain remedy was first started in 1898. It initially received widespread acceptance from the medical profession, and physicians remained unaware of its addiction potential for years. The first comprehensive control of heroin occurred with the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914. Today, heroin is an illicit substance having no medical utility in the United States. It is in Schedule I of the CSA.

Four foreign source areas produce the heroin available in the United States: South America (Colombia), Mexico, Southeast Asia (principally Burma), and Southwest Asia (principally Afghanistan). However, South America and Mexico supply most of the illicit heroin marketed in the United States. South American heroin is a high-purity powder primarily distributed to metropolitan areas on the East Coast. Heroin powder may vary in color from white to dark brown because of impurities left from the manufacturing process or the presence of additives. Mexican heroin, known as “black tar,” is primarily available in the western United States. The color and consistency of black tar heroin result from the crude processing methods used to illicitly manufacture heroin in Mexico. Black tar heroin may be sticky like roofing tar or hard like coal, and its color may vary from dark brown to black.

After the opium poppy pod has been scored, the liquid opium oozes out and dries on the pod. It is collected and scraped into a ball shape.

Pure heroin is rarely sold on the street. A “bag” (slang for a small unit of heroin sold on the street) currently contains about 30 to 50 milligrams of powder, only a portion of which is heroin. The remainder could be sugar, starch, acetaminophen, procaine, benzocaine, or quinine, or any of numerous cutting agents for heroin. Traditionally, the purity of heroin in a bag ranged from 1 to 10 percent. More recently, heroin purity has ranged from about 10 to 70 percent. Black tar heroin is often sold in chunks weighing about an ounce. Its purity is generally less than South American heroin and it is most frequently smoked, or dissolved, diluted, and injected.

In the past, heroin in the United States was almost always injected, because this is the most practical and efficient way to administer low-purity heroin. However, the recent availability of higher purity heroin at relatively low cost has meant that a larger percentage of today’s users are either snorting or smoking heroin, instead of injecting it. This trend was first captured in the 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, which revealed that 60 to 70 percent of people who used heroin for the first time from 1996 to 1998 never injected it. This trend has continued. Snorting or smoking heroin is more appealing to new users because it eliminates both the fear of acquiring syringe-borne diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis, as well as eliminating the social stigma attached to intravenous heroin use. Many new users of heroin mistakenly believe that smoking or snorting heroin is a safe technique for avoiding addiction. However, both the smoking and the snorting of heroin are directly linked to high incidences of dependence and addiction.

According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, during the latter half of the 1990s, heroin initiation rates rose to a level not reached since the 1970s. In 1974, there were an estimated 246,000 heroin initiates. Between 1988 and 1994, the annual number of new users ranged from 28,000 to 80,000. Between 1995 and 2001, the number of new heroin users was consistently greater than 100,000. Overall, approximately 3.7 million Americans reported using heroin at least once in their lifetime.

Hydromorphone

Dilaudid Addiction

Hydromorphone (Dilaudid®) is marketed in tablets (2, 4, and 8 mg), suppositories, oral solutions, and injectable formulations. All products are in Schedule II of the CSA. Its analgesic potency is from two to eight times that of morphine, but it is shorter acting and produces more sedation than morphine. Much sought after by narcotic addicts, hydromorphone is usually obtained by the abuser through fraudulent prescriptions or theft. The tablets are often dissolved and injected as a substitute for heroin. In September 2004 the FDA approved the use of Palladone® (hydromorphone hydrochloride) for the management of persistent pain. This extended-release formulation could have the same risk of abuse as OxyContin®.

Oxycodone

Oxycodone is synthesized from thebaine. Like morphine and hydromorphone, oxycodone is used as an analgesic. It is effective orally and is marketed alone in 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg controlled-release tablets (OxyContin®), or 5 mg immediate-release capsules (OxyIR®), or in combination products with aspirin (Percodan®) or acetaminophen (Percocet®) for the relief of pain. All oxycodone products are in Schedule II. Oxycodone is abused orally, or the tablets are crushed and sniffed or dissolved in water and injected. The use of oxycodone has increased significantly. In 1993, about 3.5 tons of oxycodone were manufactured for sale in the United States. In 2003, about 41 tons were manufactured.

Historically, oxycodone products have been popular drugs of abuse among the narcotic abusing population. In recent years, concern has grown among federal, state, and local officials about the dramatic increase in the illicit availability and abuse of OxyContin® products. These products contain large amounts of oxycodone (10 to 160 mg) in a formulation intended for slow release over about a 12-hour period.

Abusers have learned that this slow-release mechanism can be easily circumvented by crushing the tablet and swallowing, snorting, or injecting the drug product for a more rapid and intense high. The criminal activity associated with illicitly obtaining and distributing this drug, as well as serious consequences of illicit use, including addiction and fatal overdose deaths, are of epidemic proportions in some areas of the United States.

Hydrocodone

Hydrocodone Addiction

Hydrocodone is structurally related to codeine but more closely related to morphine in its pharmacological profile. As a drug of abuse, it is equivalent to morphine with respect to subjective effects, opiate signs and symptoms, and “liking” scores. Hydrocodone is an effective cough suppressant and analgesic. It is most frequently prescribed in combination with acetaminophen (i.e., Vicodin®, Lortab®) but is also marketed in products with aspirin (Lortab ASA®), ibuprofen (Vicoprofen®) and antihistamines (Hycomine®). All products currently marketed in the United States are either Schedule III combination products primarily intended for pain management or Schedule V antitussive medications often marketed in liquid formulations. The Schedule III products are currently under review at the Federal level to determine if an increase in regulatory control is warranted.

Hydrocodone products are the most frequently prescribed pharmaceutical opiates in the United States with over 111 million prescriptions dispensed in 2003. Despite their obvious utility in medical practice, hydrocodone products are among the most popular pharmaceutical drugs associated with drug diversion, trafficking, abuse, and addiction. In every geographical area in the country, the DEA has listed this drug as one of the most commonly diverted. Hydrocodone is the most frequently encountered opiate pharmaceutical in submissions of drug evidence to federal, state, and local forensic laboratories.

Law enforcement has documented the diversion of millions of dosage units of hydrocodone by theft, doctor shopping, fraudulent prescriptions, bogus “call-in” prescriptions, and diversion by registrants and Internet fraud.

Hydrocodone products are associated with significant drug abuse. Hydrocodone was ranked 6th among all controlled substances in the 2002 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) emergency department (ED) data. Poison control data, DAWN medical examiner (ME) data, and other ME data indicate that hydrocodone deaths are numerous, widespread, and increasing in number. In addition, the hydrocodone acetaminophen combinations (accounting for about 80 % of all hydrocodone prescriptions) carry significant public health risk when taken in excess.

*source: DEA.gov

For more information on drug addiction rehab, over the counter narcotic drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

Natural Narcotics

Narcotics have been used for centuries for pain relief and for their calming purposes. The original narcotics were derived from the poppy plant, and products derived from the poppy plant directly are called non-synthetic narcotics. In the past 70 years scientists have derived other narcotics, some still using the basis of the products of the poppy plant, semi-synthetic narcotics, and other completely synthetic.

“Narcotics can be used to relieve pain associated with operations or sickness,” states Mary Rieser, Executive Director for The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia. “However, lack of information or mis-information about narcotics can lead to narcotics drug addiction. Learn the facts about narcotics and avoid drug addiction.”

The poppy plant, Papaver somniferum, is the source for non-synthetic narcotics. It was grown in the Mediterranean region as early as 5000 B.C., and has since been cultivated in a number of countries throughout the world. The milky fluid that seeps from incisions in the unripe seed pod of this poppy has, since ancient times, been scraped by hand and air-dried to produce what is known as opium. A more modern method of harvesting is by the industrial poppy straw process of extracting alkaloids from the mature dried plant. The extract may be in liquid, solid, or powder form, although most poppy straw concentrate available commercially is a fine brownish powder. More than 500 tons of opium or equivalents in poppy straw concentrate are legally imported into the United States annually for legitimate medical use.

Opium

Opium Addiction

There were no legal restrictions on the importation or use of opium until the early 1900s. In the United States, the unrestricted availability of opium, the influx of opium-smoking immigrants from East Asia, and the invention of the hypodermic needle contributed to the more severe variety of compulsive drug abuse seen at the turn of the 20th century. In those days, medicines often contained opium without any warning label. Today, there are state, federal, and international laws governing the production and distribution of narcotic substances.

Although opium is used in the form of paregoric to treat diarrhea, most opium imported into the United States is broken down into its alkaloid constituents. These alkaloids are divided into two distinct chemical classes, phenanthrenes and isoquinolines. The principal phenanthrenes are morphine, codeine, and thebaine, while the isoquinolines have no significant central nervous system effects and are not regulated under the CSA. (Controlled Substances Act)

Morphine

Morhine Addiction

Morphine is the principal constituent of opium and ranges in concentration from 4 to 21 percent. Commercial opium is standardized to contain 10-percent morphine. In the United States, a small percentage of the morphine obtained from opium is used directly (about 20 tons); the remaining is converted to codeine and other derivatives (about 110 tons). Morphine is one of the most effective drugs known for the relief of severe pain and remains the standard against which new analgesics are measured. Like most narcotics, the use of morphine has increased significantly in recent years. Since 1998, there has been about a two-fold increase in the use of morphine products in the United States.

Morphine is marketed under generic and brand name products including MS-Contin®, Oramorph SR®, MSIR®, Roxanol®, Kadian®, and RMS®. Morphine is used parenterally (by injection) for preoperative sedation, as a supplement to anesthesia, and for analgesia. It is the drug of choice for relieving the pain of myocardial infarction and for its cardiovascular effects in the treatment of acute pulmonary edema. Traditionally, morphine was almost exclusively used by injection. Today, morphine is marketed in a variety of forms, including oral solutions, immediate and sustained-release tablets and capsules, suppositories, and injectable preparations. In addition, the availability of high-concentration morphine preparations (i.e., 20-mg/ml oral solutions, 25-mg/ml injectable solutions, and 200-mg sustained-release tablets) partially reflects the use of this substance for chronic pain management in opiate-tolerant patients.

Codeine

Drug Addiction

Codeine is the most widely used, naturally occurring narcotic in medical treatment in the world. This alkaloid is found in opium in concentrations ranging from 0.7 to 2.5 percent. However, most codeine used in the United States is produced from morphine. Codeine is also the starting material for the production of two other narcotics, dihydrocodeine and hydrocodone. Codeine is medically prescribed for the relief of moderate pain and cough suppression. Compared to morphine, codeine produces less analgesia, sedation, and respiratory depression, and is usually taken orally. It is made into tablets either alone (Schedule II) or in combination with aspirin or acetaminophen (i.e., Tylenol with Codeine®, Schedule III). As a cough suppressant, codeine is found in a number of liquid preparations (these products are in Schedule V). Codeine is also used to a lesser extent as an injectable solution for the treatment of pain. Codeine products are diverted from legitimate sources and are encountered on the illicit market.

Thebaine

Thebaine, a minor constituent of opium, is controlled in Schedule II of the CSA as well as under international law. Although chemically similar to both morphine and codeine, thebaine produces stimulatory rather than depressant effects. Thebaine is not used therapeutically, but is converted into a variety of substances including oxycodone, oxymorphone, nalbuphine, naloxone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine. The United States ranks first in the world in thebaine utilization.

*source: DEA.gov

For more information on drug addiction rehab, narcotic drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-413-3073.

Hydrocodone- Prescription Drug Abuse

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia, as part of its drug-education campaign, educates the public on the facts about narcotics and narcotics addiction.

With the escalating death toll of those abusing prescription drugs, and the switching to street drugs such as heroin or opium, it is becoming more important to become educated on what narcotics are, how one can become addicted to narcotics, and what are the consequences of narcotics abuse.

What are Narcotics?

The term “narcotic,” derived from the Greek word for stupor, originally referred to a variety of substances that dulled the senses and relieved pain. Today, the term is used in a number of ways. Some individuals define narcotics as those substances that bind at opiate receptors (cellular membrane proteins activated by substances like heroin or morphine), while others refer to any illicit substance as a narcotic. In a legal context, narcotic refers to opium, opium derivatives, and their semi-synthetic substitutes. Cocaine and coca leaves, which are also classified as “narcotics” in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), neither bind at opiate receptors, nor produce morphine-like effects and are discussed in the section on stimulants. For the purposes of this discussion, the term narcotic refers to drugs that produce morphine-like effects.

How are Narcotics used?

Prescription Drug Addiction

Narcotics are used therapeutically to treat pain, suppress cough, alleviate diarrhea, and induce anesthesia. Narcotics are administered in a variety of ways. Some are taken orally, trans-dermally (skin patches), intra-nasally, or injected. They are also available in suppositories, and more recently in “troches,” a form of narcotics that can be sucked like candy. As drugs of abuse, they are often smoked, sniffed, or injected. Drug effects depend heavily on the dose, route of administration, and previous exposure to the drug. Aside from their medical use, narcotics produce a general sense of well-being by reducing tension, anxiety, and aggression. These effects are helpful in a therapeutic setting but contribute to their abuse.

What are the Effects of Narcotic Use?

Narcotic use is associated with a variety of unwanted effects including drowsiness, inability to concentrate, apathy, lessened physical activity, constriction of the pupils, dilation of the subcutaneous blood vessels causing flushing of the face and neck, constipation, nausea, vomiting, and most significantly, respiratory depression. As the dose is increased, the subjective, analgesic (pain relief), and toxic effect become more pronounced. Except in cases of acute intoxication, there is no loss of motor coordination or slurred speech as occurs with many depressants.

The Dangers of Narcotic Abuse

Among the hazards of illicit drug use is the ever-increasing risk of infection, disease, and overdose. Medical complications common among narcotic abusers arise primarily from adulterants found in street drugs and in the non-sterile practices of injecting. Skin, lung, and brain abscesses, endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart), hepatitis, and AIDS are commonly found among narcotic abusers. While pharmaceutical products have a known concentration and purity, clandestinely produced street drugs have unknown compositions. Since there is no simple way to determine the purity of a drug that is sold on the street, the effects of illicit narcotic use are unpredictable and can be fatal. Physical signs of narcotic overdose include constricted (pinpoint) pupils, cold clammy skin, confusion, convulsions, severe drowsiness, and respiratory depression (slow or troubled breathing). Most narcotic deaths are a result of respiratory depression.

Heroin Addiction

The Start of Narcotics Addiction

With repeated use of narcotics, tolerance and dependence develop. The development of tolerance is characterized by a shortened duration and a decreased intensity of analgesia, euphoria, and sedation, which creates the need to consume progressively larger doses to attain the desired effect. Tolerant users can consume doses far in excess of the dose they initially started with.

Narcotics Addiction

Chronic narcotic use is associated with physical dependence and a withdrawal or abstinence syndrome when drug use is discontinued. In general, shorter acting narcotics tend to produce shorter, more intense withdrawal symptoms, while longer acting narcotics produce a withdrawal syndrome that is protracted but less severe. Although unpleasant, withdrawal from narcotics is rarely life threatening. The withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin/morphine addiction are usually experienced shortly before the time of the next scheduled dose. Early symptoms include watery eyes, runny nose, yawning, and sweating. Restlessness, irritability, loss of appetite, nausea, tremors, and drug craving appear as the syndrome progresses. Severe depression and vomiting are common. The heart rate and blood pressure are elevated. Chills, alternating with flushing and excessive sweating, are also characteristic symptoms. Pains in the bones and muscles of the back and extremities occur, as do muscle spasms. At any point during this process, a suitable narcotic can be administered to dramatically reverse the withdrawal symptoms. Without intervention, the syndrome will run its course, and most of the overt physical symptoms will disappear within 7 to 10 days.

Psychological Dependence on Narcotics

Prescription drug abuse- Oxycontin

The psychological dependence associated with narcotic addiction is complex and protracted. Long after the physical need for the drug has passed, the addict may continue to think and talk about the use of drugs and feel strange or overwhelmed coping with daily activities without being under the influence of drugs. There is a high probability that relapse will occur after narcotic withdrawal when neither the physical environment, nor the behavioral motivators that contributed to the abuse have been altered.

Patterns of Narcotics Addiction

There are two major patterns of narcotic abuse or dependence seen in the United States. One involves individuals whose drug use was initiated within the context of medical treatment who escalate their dose by obtaining the drug through fraudulent prescriptions and “doctor shopping” or branching out to illicit drugs. The other pattern of abuse is initiated outside the therapeutic setting with experimental or recreational use of narcotics. The majority of individuals in this category may abuse narcotics sporadically for months or even years. Although they may not become addicts, the social, medical, and legal consequences of their behavior are very serious. Some experimental users will escalate their narcotic use and will eventually become dependent, both physically and psychologically. The younger an individual is when drug use is initiated, the more likely the drug use will progress to dependence and addiction.”

*source: DEA.gov

For more information on drug addiction rehab, narcotic drug abuse, or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

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Studies have shown that when dealing with drug addiction, effective addiction treatment is much less expensive and much more effective in preventing relapse  than jail time with no treatment.

Drug Addiction Rehab Alternative to jail

In states that have some of the highest incarceration rates in the country, such as Georgia, this is encouraging news. A recent survey of local politicians, The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab showed that local politicians preferred that drug addicts convicted of non-violent crimes get drug rehab time instead of jail time.

“This is very encouraging,” stated Mr. Gordon Weinand, Public Relations for The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia. “Georgia is traditionally known as the state that incarcerates more than any other state; we have more jails per capita than 48 other states. Yet we are near the bottom of the list for drug rehabs per capita.”

Public awareness on drug rehabs as well as studies showing that drug rehab is not only more effective in treatment of non-violent offenders than jail time, but is also more cost effective could be a part of the shift in opinion.

“It costs the state almost 3 times as much to incarcerate someone for a drug offence than it does to put them through an effective drug rehab program,” states Mr. Weinand. “It just makes good sense, politically, economically, and socially to put them through a good rehab where they can get clean, feel good about themselves, and learn where they went wrong than it is to spend millions of tax dollars to punish them in jail where the recidivism rate is sky high. I went through  original Narconon Program 40 years ago while I was in jail, and have been clean ever since. The Atlanta Recovery Center Program, which uses the Narconon protocol, turns people who are an extreme liability to society, costing the economy billions per year, into productive, responsible citizens. Jail sure doesn’t do that.

“Many judges are now sending offenders to The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab as an alternative to jail time, with excellent results.”

Studies show that even rehabs or treatment centers that offer sports tournaments for drug addicts can lower crime rates and raise self-esteem.

“Nobody wants to be a drug addict, no matter what they say,” states Mr. Weinand. “Get them help before they wind up with jail time.”

For information on drug rehab versus incarceration, call 1-877-236-3981 today.  

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