Finally, the plague of Oxycontin abuse and addiction is getting attention in Massachusetts. I have worked with a number of young men who first tried Oxycontin to numb the pain of a break up or escape family and school stress. Because Oxycontin or OC comes in pill form it does not have the stigma of injecting heroin, but it is and opiate and highly addictive, just like heroin. I agree with the recommendations in the report, especially increasing the number of “sober high schools” and cracking down on prescription policies. I would add, however, that if you have ever tried to get a teen into rehab for OC addiction you know how frustrating the process can be. Detoxing from opiates without medical care is not only painful (e.g., nausea, sweating, diarrhea) it can also be dangerous. If we are going to get serious about helping teens get clean from OC, we need to increase access to detox facilities. Additionally, those facilities need to be linked to outpatient supports so that when these teens come out clean they stay clean.
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Nov-05-2009 19:40
OxyContin and Heroin Commission Report – State of Massachusetts
Marianne Skolek Salem-News.com
After months of testimony and preparation, the State of Massachusetts today issued their report on “Recommendations of the OxyContin and Heroin Commission”
Courtesy: treatmentsolutionsnetwork.com
(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) – The State of Massachusetts “is in the midst of a serious and dangerous epidemic. Prescription drug use is skyrocketing, opioid overdose deaths are steadily increasing and while support for these addiction treatment programs has increased, it is not sufficient to meet the needs of this growing problem.”
Marianne Skolek
“Based on the nearly 30 hours of oral testimony, thousands of pages of written testimony and the many heartfelt stories the Commission received, the recommendations reflect twenty broad areas of public policy pertaining to addiction and treatment of addiction. The major points of reform include; improving education and prevention measures in schools, revamping our prescription monitoring program to fall in line with more comprehensive plans from other states, regulating pain management training for doctors, dentists and nurse practitioners, ensuring that health insurance companies cover the necessary treatment for each individual, implementing a comprehensive jail diversion program for first-time, non-violent offenders, developing more effective strategies to support long-term engagement in treatment, and correcting the CORI system to better reflect the nature of substance abuse related crimes.”
Since every state is immersed in an epidemic of OxyContin a/k/a Hillbilly Heroin, I would like to suggest that every state follow the lead of the State of Kentucky. On October 4, 2007 Kentucky officials sued Purdue Pharma because of widespread Oxycontin abuse in Appalachia.
A lawsuit filed by Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and Pike County officials demands millions in compensation from drug maker Purdue Pharma.
Purdue Pharma is a $10 billion pharmaceutical company and should be held accountable for this nationwide epidemic of OxyContin deaths and addictions.
OxyContin was marketed as less likely to be addictive or abused to physicians and patients by Purdue Pharma. Why should this country allow convicted felons to have billions of dollars in profits while experiencing a modern day Holocaust of loss of life — and many in young lives?
Let’s require Purdue Pharma to build drug rehabilitation centers in every state in the country; provide the finest addiction specialists to treat the victims of OxyContin; and not let insurance companies tell any family that their loved one can’t be treated in an in-house drug rehabilitation facility for their OxyContin addiction.
There will be scores of empty chairs at family tables this Thanksgiving because of the actions of a company without a conscience. Let’s have every state send a very strong message to Purdue Pharma — “You will not profit off this epidemic. We will do whatever it takes to have victims of OxyContin treated in Purdue Pharma Drug Rehabilitation Facilities throughout the country.”
Marianne Skolek
National Activist for Victims of OxyContin and
Purdue Pharma – a criminally convicted pharmaceutical company
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july272009/oxycontin_ms_7-27-09.php
http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=2905&wit_id=6612
mskolek@aol.com
http://www.oxydeaths.com
908-285-1232
Comment by Marianne Skolek — November 6, 2009 @ 11:33 am