Peterb
Tue, Nov-21-06, 17:17
Painkiller abuse more common in America than heroin
www.chinaview.cn 2006-11-21 11:26:34
OTTAWA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- A new study conducted in seven
Canadian cities has revealed that abuse of prescription
painkillers such as OxyContin or Demerol is becoming more
prevalent than heroin.
The study, published on Monday, also showed that recent data
from the United States has indicated similar patterns,
including evidence that the rate of prescription opioid abuse
has exceeded the rate of heroin use in American household
survey populations in recent years.
"Our study suggests that heroin use has become an increasingly
marginal form of drug use among illicit opioid users in
Canada, especially outside Vancouver and Montreal," said Dr.
Benedikt Fischer, a researcher funded by the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) who led the study team.
Prescription opioids that are commonly prescribed in
Canada include OxyContin, morphine, Demerol, Percodan and
Tylenol 3 or 4.
Heroin was the most commonly used opioid in only two of the
seven study sites -- Vancouver and Montreal -- reported by
about half of the local participants. For the majority of the
participants in the other cities, prescription painkillers
such ashydromorphone, morphine and oxycodone were the
predominant opioidsused.
The CIHR report suggested that the revelation has
implications for drug control policy and treatment programs,
which primarily focus on heroin abuse and dependence,
according to Fischer.
"Our drug control policies ought to be targeting prescription
opioid abuse more effectively. But we also need to ensure we
do not compromise legitimate access to and uses of
prescription opioids," he said.
As the first systematic look at illicit drug usage among
street drug users, Fischer's study provided policy makers with
the scientific evidence needed to improve public policy and
treatment programs and is key to ultimately improving the
health of Canadians, experts said.
The results reported in this study are based mainly on a
follow-up sample of 585 participants from Vancouver, Edmonton,
Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Fredericton and St. John, who
were assessed most recently in 2005.=20
=20
Copyright =A92003 Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved
www.chinaview.cn 2006-11-21 11:26:34
OTTAWA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- A new study conducted in seven
Canadian cities has revealed that abuse of prescription
painkillers such as OxyContin or Demerol is becoming more
prevalent than heroin.
The study, published on Monday, also showed that recent data
from the United States has indicated similar patterns,
including evidence that the rate of prescription opioid abuse
has exceeded the rate of heroin use in American household
survey populations in recent years.
"Our study suggests that heroin use has become an increasingly
marginal form of drug use among illicit opioid users in
Canada, especially outside Vancouver and Montreal," said Dr.
Benedikt Fischer, a researcher funded by the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) who led the study team.
Prescription opioids that are commonly prescribed in
Canada include OxyContin, morphine, Demerol, Percodan and
Tylenol 3 or 4.
Heroin was the most commonly used opioid in only two of the
seven study sites -- Vancouver and Montreal -- reported by
about half of the local participants. For the majority of the
participants in the other cities, prescription painkillers
such ashydromorphone, morphine and oxycodone were the
predominant opioidsused.
The CIHR report suggested that the revelation has
implications for drug control policy and treatment programs,
which primarily focus on heroin abuse and dependence,
according to Fischer.
"Our drug control policies ought to be targeting prescription
opioid abuse more effectively. But we also need to ensure we
do not compromise legitimate access to and uses of
prescription opioids," he said.
As the first systematic look at illicit drug usage among
street drug users, Fischer's study provided policy makers with
the scientific evidence needed to improve public policy and
treatment programs and is key to ultimately improving the
health of Canadians, experts said.
The results reported in this study are based mainly on a
follow-up sample of 585 participants from Vancouver, Edmonton,
Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Fredericton and St. John, who
were assessed most recently in 2005.=20
=20
Copyright =A92003 Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved