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Oxycontin

OxyContin
In the past decade, the use of prescription painkillers has grown at an astonishing pace, presenting numerous problems to society.   The Associated Press reports that since 1998, the use of oxycodone, the active component in OxyContin has grown almost 600%.   The primary supplier responsible for such a colossal increase has been privately held pharmaceutical company, Purdue Pharma L.P.’s potent new narcotic, OxyContin. The company, whose mission statement is to focus on the needs of patients, recently achieved an important victory in its patent infringement litigation relating to patents covering the pain medicine. Heralded as a miracle drug for those people suffering from severe chronic pain, OxyContin has developed a stigma as the new drug of choice for countless abusers of prescription pain medications across.
Oxycodone, the active component found in OxyContin, is a powerful chemical that has been in use around the world for decades.   It is in a class of drugs called “narcotic analgesics”.   These drugs are used in the treatment of pain, with oxycodone specifically being used to manage only moderate to severe cases where less potent drugs are not adequate enough.   When taken as directed, most often in the form of tablets taken orally, oxycodone produces analgesia. Analgesia is defined by Encyclopedia Britannica Online as the loss of sensation of pain (Analgesia, ¶1). Sufficient enough to nullify even some of the most agonizing conditions, side effects of the drug include sleepiness and strong feelings of elation and relaxation, which also heighten the comfort level of the patient (Drug Information, OxyContin, ¶5).
While oxycodone is remarkably effective at treating pain, care must be taken in the event that long term usage is required, as tolerance to the drug followed by physical dependence may develop. Over time, the body becomes acclimated to the presence of the drug, and if its use is then discontinued, the body goes through a period of...