Americans Double Use of Pain Meds

Pharmacies sold equivalent of 69 tons of pure oxycodone in 2010

(NEWSER) - Prescription painkiller addiction is a problem that's only getting uglier, reports the AP after analyzing a slew of DEA and pharmaceutical figures. The report focuses on sales of America's leading two prescription painkillers: oxycodone (the key ingredient in OxyContin, Percocet, and Percodan) and hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco, and Lortab). Among its more stunning findings:

• Addiction, long rooted in Appalachia and tony suburbs, has begun to spread well beyond those two centers; hydrocodone sales are specifically increasing in the Midwest

Staten Island leads the way

(NEWSER) - New York City's special narcotics prosecutor unveiled some eye-popping numbers about prescription drugs in the Big Apple, according to the Wall Street Journal :

• One million prescriptions for the pain reliever oxycodone—the generic name for Oxycontin—were filled in 2010. That's enough for 1 in 8 residents of the five boroughs, or 13% of the population.
• The percentage is 28% in Staten Island. Add in Vicodin, and it's 33%.
• The 1 million figure has doubled since 2007.

Oxycodone sellers licked

(NEWSER) - In New York City's Staten Island, oxycodone addicts were more enthusiastic than little kids about the arrival of the Lickety Split ice cream truck: Some 31 people have been indicted for running a drug ring that investigators say used the ice cream truck to sell the addictive prescription painkiller—and that pulled in $1 million, reports the New York Daily News . More»

Adrienne Martin was found at August Busch IV's home in December

(NEWSER) - The dead woman found at the home of ex-Anheuser-Busch CEO August Busch IV accidentally overdosed on the painkiller oxycodone, the medical examiner said yesterday. Friends previously said Adrienne Martin, 27, was firmly against illegal drugs, but Busch had speculated medication she was taking could be to blame for her death. His attorney says Busch did not know she was taking oxycodone, the AP reports. The forensics administrator wouldn’t say if any other drugs were in Martin’s system, and the full report won’t be released until the investigation into her death is complete. Click for more on the case . More»

Jasinski says he used $500K prize to buy, sell painkillers

(NEWSER) - Big Brother 9 winner Adam Jasinski made his first court appearance today in Massachusetts after being charged with trying to sell 2,000 prescription painkiller pills. After a brief struggle with agents, the DEA says Jasinski waived his Miranda rights and confessed to using his $500,000 winnings from the reality show last year to set up an oxycodone ring, the Boston Globe reports. More»