OFFICIALS SAY ABUSE OF PAIN KILLER IS ON THE RISE IN BARRIE

The people inside the brown, nondescript building on Wellington Street
are in the business of saving lives, one addict at a time.

Situated across from Victoria Village, it is home to Royal Victoria
Hospital's addiction services. It's a starting point for people who no
longer want to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Most of the 17 beds inside are home to people addicted to alcohol, and
cocaine has long been another common addiction. But over the past
year, staff members have seen a steady increase in a newcomer to the
area, OxyContin, a narcotic pain killer prescribed to people suffering
from moderate and severe pain.

Statistics compiled for the month of September show 12 people came in
stating they were addicted to OxyContin. That translates into eight
per cent of the total figure.

"Eight per cent is fairly high," said Jack Vandenberg, the addiction
services co-ordinator. "We've certainly been hearing a lot about it in
the past 12 months. It's on the increase."

He's not surprised by the recent drug bust in the Toronto area, where
officers seized about 15,000 pills.

"If police had the resources, we would see significantly more busts"
he predicted.

"We see the tip of the iceberg," Vandenberg continued. "We only see
what goes on in public. A lot more things are hidden by the nature of
the drug culture. It's big businesses." Considering the risks involved
in trafficking, there would have to be a significant return, he added.

South of the border, and in eastern Canada, OxyContin has a reputation
for being a high-priced street drug, and there have been calls to have
the drug banned. In response, the American FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) has strengthened the warnings and precautions sections
in the labelling of OxyContin.

OxyContin is a form of Oxycodone, an opiate used as a painkiller for
decades. Oxycodone is also in the drug Percocet, and is used
successfully to control the pain of acute patients, said Karen Winter,
pain-management nurse for the acute pain course at RVH.

It's used when milder medications are not effective and patients are
on it for only a limited length of time.

"We never start with it," she said.

Winter said she is aware of the news reports that the drug is highly
addictive, but the hospital has measures in place to ensure it does
not become an issue for patients.

"We don't send the drug home," she said.

Once the source of the pain is gone and the drug is no longer needed,
patients will experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop cold turkey.
Doctors will recommend gradually reducing the dosage to ease these
symptoms.

"Often, when we get people on Percocet, Morphine or OxyContin, they
started using these drugs for legitimate reasons," said Vandenberg.
"For someone with chronic pain, day in and day out, this type of pain
medication is needed to improve their quality of life," said Vandenberg.

He doesn't advocate banning the drug.

"There are not many drugs that don't have a legitimate use," he
pointed out. "To say OxyContin is a bad drug is misleading. For
thousands of people, it has improved their quality of life. As with
any drug, if it's abused, there is the potential for serious problems."

People who take narcotics for long periods will build up a tolerance,
and they need more to get the same effect, he said.

To get the increased doses, some people go to several doctors for
multiple prescriptions, or they get it on the street. This pattern
becomes a significant problem because the addiction affects the
person's family and work and can lead to legal problems as well, said
Vandenberg.

"It can bring wonderful relief for someone who needs it, or become a
nightmare for someone who is abusing it."