🚀 go-pugleaf

 My questions are:
>
> 1. How powerful is Oxycontin? Is it as strong as Heroin?

OxyContin is a very powerful drug, a time released form of oxycodone, the
active ingridient in Percocets (Percodans)  While a Percocet may have 5,
7.5, or 10 mg of oxycodone, OxyContins have 20, 40, 80, 120, or 160 mg a
pill.  While not as powerful as heroin, it does come pretty close I hear,
but without the rush unless it was IVed.
>
> 2. Is this drug still commonly prescribed by physicians -- or has
> all the bad publicity steered the doctors away from using it?

While it has recieved a lot of stigma, it is still widely ciruclated mostly
for people with chronic pain.
>
> 3. Is it difficult "getting off" the drug if you become addicted?

As in all opiates, an Oxy addiction is a very difficult to kick.  The
psychological and physical addiction can be very strong on a person.  I'd
say very few successfully quit without relapsing or other complications.
>
> 4. Could Rush Limbaugh conduct a daily radio show if he was
> heavily addicted to this drug?
>

Opiate addicts can reach very high tolerances to the drug and sometimes end
up using more just to feel normal and keep away from the withdrawls.  It is
entirely possible that his tolerance was so high that he kept himself dosed
while doing a radio show and not feeling high, but keeping the withdrawl
away.

> 5. I have read various reports over the past year, that Oxycontin
> was 1st widely misused by people in the Appalachian states. Is this
> true? If so, any reasons why?

Dunno about that.
>
> Thanks for any input.
>
> Chad
>
> Florida Drug Probe Leads to Limbaugh
>
> By Jennifer Frey
> Washington Post Staff Writer
> Friday, October 3, 2003; Page C08
>
> As Rush Limbaugh confronted one self-described "tempest in a
> teapot" during a speech in Philadelphia, a second, potentially
> more damaging controversy involving the popular conservative
> radio talk-show host unspooled yesterday as media outlets
> chased reports that Limbaugh is linked to a drug investigation
> in Florida.
>
> The National Enquirer alleged in yesterday's editions that
> Limbaugh is addicted to painkillers, and reported that his
> purchase of those drugs has led to his involvement in a major
> drug-ring investigation in Palm Beach County, where he has his
> primary home. The supermarket tabloid cited as its main source
> one Wilma Cline, a former housekeeper for Limbaugh who says
> she supplied the drugs -- hydrocodone and OxyContin -- to
> Limbaugh, and later turned him in to county authorities.
>
> The New York Daily News, which had obtained an advance copy
> of the Enquirer article, reported yesterday that it had
> independently confirmed the investigation by the Palm Beach
> County state attorney's office and Limbaugh's link to it.
> Other news organizations -- including the Associated Press,
> Reuters and CNN -- followed with anonymously sourced
> confirmations later in the day.
>
> The frenzy resulted in a deluge of calls for Mark Edmondson,
> a spokesman for the state attorney's office, who repeatedly
> told news organizations that "the office would neither confirm
> nor deny any case that we may have under review." Limbaugh's
> only comment on the allegations -- which he did not address
> during his morning speech at the National Association of
> Broadcasters convention -- came in the form of a statement
> released by Premiere Radio Networks, which syndicates his radio
> show.
>
> "I am unaware of any investigation by any authority involving
> me," the statement read. "No government representative has
> contacted me directly or indirectly. If my assistance is
> required, I will, of course, cooperate fully."
>
> CNN reported that sources told the network that Limbaugh
> "is not the focus of the investigation," but rather that
> his name had come up as a buyer during a "two-year probe of
> a suspected multimillion-dollar black market operation."
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37514-2003Oct2.html