LEGAL DRUGS OVERTAKE HEROIN AS ADDICTS' CHOICE

Study Shows Trend In Several Cities; Raises Questions About Opioid Control

Forget heroin. Legal prescription drugs readily available in
pharmacies are now the major source of illicit opioid drug abuse in
several major Canadian cities, which raises questions about drug
control in the country, a new study released yesterday reveals.

Although heroin addiction has been one of the most significant drug
problems in Canada for years, research shows users are turning to
opioids, or prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin, Percocet and
morphine, at an increasing rate.

"The intensity of the shift surprised me quite a bit," said Dr.
Benedikt Fischer, study author and addictions researcher at the
Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia. "This study, for
the first time, shows that systematically, and I would not have
assumed, this is such a dramatic shift."

The findings were published in yesterday's issue of the Canadian
Medical Association Journal.

The study looked at hundreds of regular users of illicit opioids from
2001 to 2005 to track their use patterns and other social and health
factors. Researchers focused on 679 users in 2001 and followed up
with about 60 per cent in 2005. Researchers recruited new
participants in order to ensure a large enough sample size in the
followup. The study involved drug users in Vancouver, Edmonton,
Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Fredericton and Saint John.

After tracking the changes in drug-abuse patterns, researchers were
surprised to see heroin use waned in every city involved in the study.

Vancouver and Montreal were the only cities where heroin was the most
commonly used opioid among study participants. In some cities, heroin
use was virtually absent. Researchers also found the use of crack and
cocaine declined throughout the study period.

The increasing trend toward prescription painkiller abuse is a major
problem that signals significant changes are needed in the way
government and law enforcement approach drug control, Dr. Fischer said.

Under the current system, officials are focused on cracking down on
heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs and keeping them out of the country.

But little is being done about the fact that Oxycontin, morphine and
other opioids are readily available, Dr. Fischer said.

It's not difficult for addicted drug users to get their hands on
prescription painkillers either, he said. While some people may steal
the drugs, others simply try "double doctoring," which means seeking
the same prescription from several doctors over a short period of time.

"It's relatively easy in our system to get prescription opioids," Dr.
Fischer said. "We do relatively little to control or monitor what people get."

While many people use such drugs to help cope with pain, government
and police can't ignore the fact that many are hooked on the drugs, he said.

"They're legitimately in the country, but they're going into the
wrong hands," he said.

In order to develop a solution, it's necessary for greater
recognition of the fact that painkiller abuse has become a crippling
problem, he said.

Only after that can health officials focus on developing prevention
and treatment programs to help those who are dependent on opioids,
Dr. Fischer said.