An estimated 15 percent of drug treatment provided in Arizona is attributed to the abuse of opiate addiction with consists of prescription pain medication such as Hydocodone, Vicodin, Lortab, Oxycodone, OxyContin, Percocet, Norco, Codine, Morphine, Fentanyl, Methadone, etc.
Several options are available for effective opiate treatment. These options are drawn from experience and research regarding the treatment of opiate addiction. They include medications, such as methadone and LAAM (levo-alpha-acetyl-methadol), Buprenorphrine, ultra rapid detox (Waismann Detox)and then followed by long term behavioral counseling opiate treatment approaches.
A useful precursor to long-term treatment of opioid addiction is opiate detoxification. Opiate detoxification in itself is not a treatment for opioid addiction. Rather, its primary objective is to relieve withdrawal symptoms while the patient adjusts to being drug free. To be effective, detoxification must precede long-term opiate treatment that requires complete abstinence and incorperates behavioral life skills and coping skills counseling.
There are many types of opiate treatment and choosing the correct opiate treatment option is vital to your recovery. Types of opiate treatment include; out-patient opiate treatment, inpatient opiate treatment, opiate counseling, opiate detox, short term opiate treatment or long term opiate treatment.
Our professional addiction counselors have tremendous knowlege and experience in assessing your specific treatment needs and we utilize an extensive Drug Treatment Database containing Arizona opiate treatment options and nationwide drug treatment programs.
Call 1-877-298-1890 now or fill out the form below for opiate treatment programs in Arizona that meet your specific treatment needs.
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Opiates are diverted in a variety of ways in Arizona, including "doctor shopping," pharmacy diversion, prescription forgery, smuggling from Mexico, and purchasing over the Internet, particularly from foreign sources such as Mexico. Doctor shopping is a practice by which individuals who may or may not have a legitimate ailment visit numerous physicians to obtain drugs in excess of what should be prescribed legitimately. A significant portion of the diverted opiates available in Arizona are smuggled from Mexico. Forging prescriptions is the primary method by which opiates are diverted in Arizona. According to the DEA Phoenix Division, in 2001 law enforcement officials uncovered an OxyContin prescription fraud group operating in the Phoenix area. The individuals used fraudulent prescriptions and paid for the drugs either with cash or by billing an insurance company using information obtained from stolen medical records. Officials reported that more than 20 individuals were involved in the organization. Diverted pharmaceuticals sold for $1 to $40 per dosage unit in 2002 in Arizona.
Arizona OxyContin
OxyContin is a highly addictive prescription painkiller used for moderate to high pain relief. Doctors prescribe OxyContin typically for pain associated with injuries, bursitis, dislocation, fractures, neuralgia, arthritis, lower back pain, and cancer. OxyContin contains oxycodone, the medication's active ingredient, in a timed-release tablet. Oxycodone is also the main ingredient in Percocet and Percodan, pain relievers typically prescribed for patients after dental surgery. Oxycodone products have been illegally abused for the past 30 years.
Because OxyContin produces opiate-like effects, the drug is sometimes used as a substitute for heroin. Illegal uses of OxyContin include crushing the tablet and ingesting or snorting it. Most individuals who abuse this drug do so to gain a feeling of euphoria, relieve pain, and to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Those who take the drug repeatedly can develop a tolerance or resistance to the drug's effects.
What Is Oxycontin?
OxyContin is the brand name of a time-release formula of the pain-relieving compound oxycodone. OxyContin, which is produced by the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma, is prescribed as a pain medication. Instances of abuse of this drug have increased in recent years.
OxyContin most commonly exists in tablet form. These round pills come in 10mg, 20mg, 40mg, 80mg, and 160mg dosages. OxyContin also comes in capsule or liquid form. Street names for OxyContin are Oxy, OxyCotton, Oxy 80 (for the 80mg dose), Hillbilly Heroin, Kicker, or OC.
OxyContin contains a time controlled-release medication that, when used correctly, provides extended relief of pain associated with cancer, back pain, or arthritis. However, often when the drug is abused, the tablets are chewed, crushed and snorted, or mixed with water and injected. This eliminates the time-release factor, allowing for a quick and intense rush to the brain. This practice can lead to overdosing on OxyContin's active ingredient, oxycodone, by releasing too much of the medication into the bloodstream too quickly. OxyContin is highly addictive - so higher doses of the drug must be taken when a tolerance develops. The numbers of abusers of the drug have risen drastically and steadily over the last few years.
OxyContin Production And Trafficking
Purdue Pharma introduced OxyContin, an opiate painkiller, in 1995. Most individuals prescribed OxyContin will not become addicted, although they may become dependent on the drug and will experience withdrawal symptoms when use is stopped. Drugs such as OxyContin can be diverted in many ways. The most popular form is known as "doctor shopping," where individuals, who may or may not have legitimate illnesses requiring a doctor's prescription for controlled substances, visit many doctors to acquire large amounts of controlled substances. Other diversion methods include pharmacy diversion and improper prescribing practices by physicians.
