Oxycodone

Stanmyre, Jackie F. Oxycodone. Part of the Dangerous Drugs series. 2016. 64p. ISBN 978-1-50260-558-0. Available at 615.78 STA on the library shelves.

In the past drug users generally started with a gateway drug such as marijuana and then proceeded to experiment with other drugs such as cocaine. Over the last ten years, however, there has been an epidemic of prescription drug abuse that has increased the number of overdoses and fatalities throughout the United States. And unlike earlier times when there was at least the criminal intent of doing drugs, most of today’s abusers started with a legal product to soothe their pain and became addicted.

Oxycodone, one of the painkillers from the opioid family, has been prescribed numerous times to manage pain in patients. But many of them become addicted and build a tolerance to it. They begin seeking higher and higher doses. Eventually, the lack of availability and the expense turn people to heroin, also from the opioid family and a cheaper substitute.

This book describes the history of oxycodone and the impact it has on society, from its benefits to its drawbacks and the side effects that people can incur from using it. The lives of celebrities who abused painkillers is also examined, along with a list of possible signs that one of your loved ones has become addicted. Finally, possible avenues of addressing this epidemic are discussed. Only by knowing the facts can we hope to solve this crisis.