STATE SEES BENEFITS, DRAWBACKS OF OXYCONTIN USAGE

But officials said the drug, when used properly, is a lifesaver for
those whose severe chronic pain has dramatically affected their lifestyles.

"I have patients whose lives have changed (from OxyContin)," said
Henry Rosler at Pain Management Center of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. "But
patients have to be well-selected."

Because of its street value, there is a danger with prescribing the
drug, Rosler said. Less than 10 of his patients are taking OxyContin,
Rosler said, because most of the people he sees aren't qualified candidates.

"It's a medication that's overused," he said. "A lot of cases can be
treated with other medications, like physical therapy or more natural
means."

Rosler said his patients taking OxyContin are screened through drug
tests and have signed a contract stating they can only get the
medication from him.

Building Trust

"You have to build a trust between patient and doctors (before
prescribing)," Rosler said.

Several pharmacies in eastern states have taken OxyContin off the
shelves because of repeated robbery attempts, and in April, the Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment, under the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, issued an advisory on the dangers of addiction to the
drug.

"If it was taken off the market here because it's being abused, a lot
of those people will be really affected," Thiel said. "We just need to
figure out how to help people and not abuse it. (Authorities) are
going to have to find some means to control it better, maybe by only
giving it out to certain clinics."

Problems Arise

The drug here hasn't hit the epidemic-like proportions it has in
several eastern states, but some local residents are going to extremes
to get their hands on the drug.

Rosler said a patient with chronic pain became verbally and almost
physically abusive after he wouldn't prescribe him OxyContin.

In June, Cudahy resident Kevin May, 34, was charged with trying to rob
a Walgreens pharmacy in Cudahy of its supply of OxyContin to help his
wife, who he told police has cancer and back problems. He handed a
note to a pharmacist that said, "Give me all your OxyContin, do it
right away and you won't get hurt," said Capt. Richard Wargin of the
Cudahy Police Department.

May returned the drugs after the pharmacist followed him outside. His
case is still pending.

The area's first OxyContin-related death occurred in Cudahy on June 6,
when Jeffrey Hough, 18, died from "mixed drug toxicity" of the drugs
oxycodone and Benzodiazepine, the medical examiner's office said.

The death of 27-year old Timothy Neddo, found at a relative's home in
Wauwatosa last month, was the second death from oxycodone overdose in
the Milwaukee area. Neddo was taking OxyContin for back pain.

"It's something that law enforcement is going to have to keep an eye
out for," said Lt. Dennis Davidson of the Wauwatosa Police Department.
"It's something that's going to be brought out over time. We've really
just started to see problems with it over the last couple years."

Pharmacies Are Targeted

In the past five months, other area pharmacies, including ones in
Wauwatosa, Glendale, Franklin and Racine, have been the targets of
robberies and forged prescriptions involving OxyContin.

"It's frightening for Wisconsin," Hang said. "It takes us awhile to
get to the next set of drugs. However, once we got to them, we use
them well, in terms of addiction. Once we do learn about it, it just
snowballs."