Oxycontin is a common prescription pain killer.
Although effective, it’s also highly addictive.
Thousands of people become hooked on the drug each year after taking it for legitimate purposes like post-surgery recovery, traumatic injuries, or lower back pain.
Oxycontin the time-released version of the drug oxycodone, which is closely related to naturally-occurring opioids found in the opium poppy. It’s designed to break down slowly in the digestive tract. It’s designed to offer several hours of pain-reduction rather than just an hour or two like other common opiate pain-killers.
Common brand name versions of the drug include Percocet and Percodan, but there are generic and black-market versions available as well.
Addiction to this medication usually begins with legitimate use, but gradually evolves into more serious addiction as the body starts to form a tolerance to the drug (prompting larger doses of the drug).
Many Oxycontin addicts will begin breaking the slow release tablets apart to increase their absorption rate — some users will even snort or inject the drug for immediate results.
Many users eventually migrate to fentanyl or heroin when they can no longer get the desired effects from the Oxycontin due to the formation of tolerance.