Pubdate: Fri, 23 Jan 2009
Source: Daily Press, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 Daily Press (CN ON)
Contact:  http://www.timminspress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1001
Author: Jessica Young

DRIVE LAUNCHED AGAINST 'HILLBILLY HEROIN'

MP Angus Spearheads Campaign

Two youngsters and five more people in Kirkland Lake have died after 
misusing a deadly prescription drug.

OxyContin, also known as "hillbilly heroin," is found in medicine 
cabinets and on the streets. The demand for the drug seems to be on the rise.

"We believe that the problem of OxyContin is a major problem 
affecting our communities and one of the biggest problems is the lack 
of awareness of the dangers and warning signs of an epidemic," said 
MP Charlie Angus (NDP - Timmins-James Bay.

Angus, alongside the representatives from the Timmins Police Service, 
Ontario Provincial Police, Porcupine Health Unit and South Cochrane 
Addictions Services, launched the Timmins OxyContin Awareness 
Campaign on Friday morning.

The drug is called "hillbilly heroin" because it's cheap and easy to 
get and extremely addictive.

"We're very surprised at the amount of people who have come forward 
who are on treatment for it," Angus added.

Those numbers are very high and what we're hearing from frontline 
workers is that it's just the tip of the iceberg."

South Cochrane Addictions Services executive director Angele 
Desormeau has seen first hand what OxyContin can do.

"What we've seen in our agency are individuals that do come in for 
help end up with some pretty devastating things that have happened to 
them," she said.

"The damaging effects that we see facing people with opioid addiction 
in particular are things like they seek the drug so much they are 
buying it off the street and getting the medication from wherever they can."

One solution, she said, is methadone treatment.

"That has been promising and has saved lives and is continuing to 
save lives," Desormeau said. "The people coming in are younger and 
younger. We really need to target schools."

Anyone found guilty under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for 
possessing, seeking or obtaining the drug without a doctor's 
prescription could face jail time of six months to a year with a fine 
that could reach up to $2,000, said South Porcupine OPP Const. Marc Depatie.

"Our drug enforcement section is actively pursuing a number of 
investigations related to current persons who are currently involved 
in the illicit trade of OxyContin," he said.

Angus is pushing for a provincial registry of prescription abusers. 
Having one, he said, would help give frontline medical workers some 
of the tools they need to ensure people are not getting prescriptions 
they don't need.

"We need a registry provincially so that pharmacies and doctors know 
when someone comes in for their prescription renewed they can look 
right on that registry and say, wait a minute, you were just at 
another town and got a prescription filled," he said.

Porcupine Health Unit nurse Renelle Cheff invited those needing help 
or parents who believe their child is involved with the misuse of 
prescription medicine to come to the health unit.

"We have a lot of resources and education and can refer them to an 
appropriate agency," she said.

The health unit also has medication clean-out bags so residents can 
give it to pharmacies for disposal.

"This is an epidemic is caused one pill at a time," Angus said.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart