POWERFUL PAIN DRUG POSES DIFFERENT DANGERS

Addiction To OxyContin Is Causing Not Only Overdoses But Also Robberies
Across The USA

BOSTON -- The powerful painkiller OxyContin, nicknamed "hillbilly heroin"
for its illicit use in rural areas, is becoming a dangerous drug in the
nation's cities.

In the past few months, armed robbers seeking the prescription pills held
up pharmacies in and around Boston, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Milwaukee
and Phoenix. Similar robberies were reported in Maine, Virginia and California.

"It's occurring everywhere," says Rogene Waite, a spokeswoman with the Drug
Enforcement Administration. "While we've had drugstore robberies in the
past, what's different about these cases is the robbers are so specific
about the drug they want."

* The Milwaukee area has had four OxyContin robberies since March. "It is a
growing problem. It's bad stuff," says Francis Schmitz of the U.S.
Attorney's office in Milwaukee.

* Kentucky officials say about 5% of the state's pharmacies have been
robbed or burglarized by people looking for OxyContin. After burglars
struck the Apothacare Pharmacy in Bowling Green twice in as many months,
workers filled empty OxyContin bottles with leftover Halloween candy.
During a June burglary, thieves left with three bottles of sweets.

* Florida recently became the fifth state to restrict OxyContin
prescriptions for Medicaid patients. Maine, Ohio, South Carolina and West
Virginia have taken similar action. West Virginia has sued the
manufacturer, Purdue Pharma, accusing the company of aggressively marketing
the drug without warning of its dangers.

At least 120 overdose deaths nationwide have been linked to the drug since
last year. There were 11 deaths in Philadelphia this year alone.

The Boston area has been hit by 16 robberies in the past three months,
including one Monday night in suburban Medford. Another robbery was
reported Monday night in Falmouth on Cape Cod. Boston-area police
departments formed a task force earlier this month. One arrest has been
made, but authorities say that a gang responsible for many of the heists is
still at large.

The head of the task force, Detective Lt. James Pierce of Winchester,
Mass., says a group of three men committed most of the armed robberies.

"No one's been hurt yet. But with all those guns, someone coming in to buy
a box of diapers could wind up a victim just by being there," Pierce says.

OxyContin was introduced in 1996 as a synthetic opiate with a special
coating that releases the drug over 12 hours. It was considered a godsend
for people with pain from terminal cancer or severe injuries.

But abusers found they could crush the pills and inhale or inject the
powder for a high similar to heroin.

Authorities say the drug has a street value of $ 40 for a 40-milligram
pill. Many thieves are thought to be both users and dealers.

Waite says abuse of the drug was first seen in rural areas of Appalachia
and in Maine. Among the areas hit hard was Pulaski, Va., where officials
blame OxyContin for 90% of this year's pharmacy thefts, burglaries and
robberies. In neighboring Tazewell County, Va., where there were 10 armed
robberies, some pharmacies have put up signs saying they no longer stock
OxyContin.

"We thought one of the reasons it was more of a rural problem was those
areas don't have a big heroin or cocaine distribution system. Now it seems
to have moved into adjacent urban areas," Waite says.

GRAPHIC: In Belmont, Mass.: Shore Drug announces it no longer carries
OxyContin. OxyContin: Pills hit scene in 1996.