Addicts claim Opana drove them to unthinkable acts, deaths from drug is rising by WHAS editors WHAS11.com Posted on February 6, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Updated yesterday at 7:09 PM (WHAS11) – It’s being described as the most dangerous drug of our time.
A little pill is claiming lives in Kentuckiana and leaving local residents as crime victims to those desperate to get hold of the drug.
Opana is the brand name of the drug; the pill of Oxymorphone. Addicts tell me it's like morphine on steroids.
The painkiller is so strong that when used correctly, you only need one pill every 12 hours.
And when it’s abused it only takes one high to get people hooked and lead them to a life that puts us all at risk.
It’s the drug that's taken prescription pill abuse to a whole new level; in Louisville alone its lead to numerous overdoses.
In 2009 there were no overdose deaths associated with Opana. In 2010, there were 4 and last year in 2011 there were 33 deaths linked to Opana abuse.
Louisville Police say people who've been able to take strong prescription painkillers without being addicted are now getting hooked on Oxymorphone, known as Opana.
Those recovering from Opana addiction say the high off Opana is as strong as the high they get off a mix of drugs in just one hit.
For many the high is stronger than meth and police say the addiction is causing more problems than when crack cocaine first came on the scene.
Royia Carpenter says she did unthinkable acts to get opana - she said she spent $300 a day on pills - now she's in recovery.
"I never thought I would do that here I am a high school graduate scholarships and I went to college and it just took me down so fast," Carpenter said.
Curtis Sharp is away from his family focusing on his recovery.
"I liked the affect it did for me it multiplied after that," Sharp said.
He suffered an injury and was prescribed Loritabs then his desire for the next high lead him to Opana.
"With all the stuff I’ve done I can't believe I haven't od'd been shot or anything of that nature I’m lucky," Sharp said.
Opana is an opiate - Carpenter and Sharp say the withdrawal from opiates is so intense addicts will lie, cheat and steal so they don't get dope sick - as they call it.
Opana became popular in 2010 when the makers of Oxycotin reformulated their pills so they couldn’t be crushed and snorted. Now the makers of Opana are promising to do the same thing.
In a statement an executive with Endo Pharmaceuticals says: "We firmly believe this new formulation of Opana er, coupled with our long term commitment to awareness and education around appropriate use of opioids will benefit patients, physicians and payers."
Police say Opana mostly comes into our area from Detroit and Canada from pain clinics.
Carpenter and Curtis say doctors will write prescriptions for large quantities at these locations if you come in with enough money.
And if addicts don't have the cash police say they will break into homes steal whatever they can to pawn off quick for drug money.
In Kentuckiana it's estimated 60 to 80 percent of home break-ins, that are happening now, are linked to Opana.
And Sgt. McGuire says Louisville Police are seeing more night-time break-ins, while people are home, linked to the drug as well.
"Something so small controlled every aspect of my life," Carpenter said.
