USE OF 'HILLBILLY HEROIN' GROWS IN B.C.

UBC Study Finds Fondness For Addictive Painkiller Higher In Rural Areas

"Hillbilly heroin" is showing up in small communities across B.C.,
authorities warn.

Oxycodone, a powerful painkiller that has extremely addictive
properties, can only be obtained with a doctor's prescription.

It's called hillbilly heroin because of its popularity among rural white males.

Oxycodone was created in a German pharmaceutical company's lab in
1916 as a substitute for heroin.

Like heroin, oxycodone is an opiate, and heavy users need to have
continually higher doses to achieve the same level of relief.

If they stop using oxycodone, users will likely suffer the
debilitating effects of withdrawal.

A University of B.C. study released last week found cultural
background, income, lifestyle and urban-rural differences may
influence the use of so-called discretionary drugs such as oxycodone.

The B.C. Rx Atlas analyzed 2006 data from 79 local health areas and
is the first to measure variations at this level, according to a UBC study.

"We wanted to determine whether there are disparities across regions
within the same health-care system," said lead author Steve Morgan,
associate director of the UBC Centre for Health Services and Policy
Research and an associate professor in the UBC School of Population
and Public Health.

"The findings show that access to the most essential types of
prescription drug does not vary too greatly within B.C.," he said.

But the study found troubling patterns in the use of potentially
addictive drugs, including sedatives and opioid painkillers -- such
as morphine and oxycodone.

"Our previous Canadian Rx Atlas showed that B.C. used less of these
medicines than other provinces, but this new study suggests that
British Columbians in smaller towns are at greater risk of
inappropriate use, possibly addiction," said Morgan.

Researchers conclude that cultural background and socio-economic
status are important determinants of drug use and spending patterns.

For instance, residents of Metro Vancouver spent less on
anti-depressants and opioids than the rest of B.C.