GENERATION Rx

Health experts say OxyContin abuse has become rampant in Massachusetts,
resulting in addiction, criminal activity and overdoses - especially among
young people. (See stories, page 1.) Wakefield is not exempt from the
problem, according to local lawmakers, attorneys and substance abuse
counselors.

The people in law and order say OxyContin, a prescribed painkiller, is a
hop, skip and a jump away from heroin; the prescription answer to an
illegal drug. Most teens and 20-somethings wouldn't touch heroin normally.
But "OCs" come in pill form and it seems young people mistakenly believe
it can't hurt them. They try OxyContin for the high that is so popular and
quickly get hooked. The habit forces many abusers to swap to heroin, a
similar high for a much cheaper cost.

The pharmaceutical market is bloated these days with treatments for every
ailment. It's easy to see how a generation raised amid Ritalin and Viagra
could underestimate the dangers of a prescription drug.

A pill or two at a party can easily escalate to a habit that takes painful
withdrawal, thousands of dollars and chronic relapses to kick. And it's
not just OxyContin; high school and college students by the millions are
abusing other painkillers like Percocet and Vicodin and anti-anxiety
medicine like Klonopin and Xanax.

That's why state and federal drug prevention money needs to be directed at
the problem, instead of just street drugs and alcohol. And parents can
help by making prescription drugs part of the conversation about saying
no. Meanwhile, drug companies need to say loud and clear what the risks
are; that OCs, for example, can cause addiction or overdose if not used as
directed. They also need to be good corporate citizens by coming up with
less addictive versions of their drugs - or risk seeing them banned.