Prescription medications like OxyContin and Vicodin are very commonly the drugs of choice among those who seek treatment for opiate addiction – and those who die due to opiate overdose – due in large part to the fact that they are most commonly the drug prescribed by physicians for the treatment of chronic pain. Local law enforcement, state and federal government organizations and the medical community have pushed to better educate the public on the deadly nature of these drugs, and as a result, the rates of overdose are slowly on the decline.

However, many people are unaware that there are hundreds of different medications that are also classified as opiate medications that are equally deadly. Without this knowledge, families may find potentially addictive drugs among their loved one’s possessions yet not realize that their family member is at risk.

If you are concerned that your loved one is abusing his or her prescription medication or if you believe that addictive medications are just part of your loved one’s drug abuse problem, contact us at Black Bear Lodge today and learn more about how our unique and innovative addiction treatment program.

Lesser-Known Prescription Drugs of Abuse

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there are a number of different opiate medications that are potentially dangerous and addictive drugs. These include:

  • Fentanyl. Fentanyl is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine, the drug commonly understood by the general public to be dangerous and addictive. Classified as a Schedule II drug, which means that it is highly addictive but still has medical function, fentanyl and similar substances may be referred to on the street as “China girl,” “dance fever,” “Apache,” “TNT,” “goodfella,” “jackpot,” “friend,” and “Tango and Cash.” Fentanyl is sold under brand names, including Actiq, Sublimaze, and Duragesic.
  • Methadone. Also a Schedule II drug, methadone is prescribed to treat chronic pain as well as high-dose opiate addictions to drugs like heroin. Because it is addictive in its own right, many who take it as a treatment for addiction don’t realize the dangers they face should they abuse the medication. It is also sold as methadone and dolophineand commonly known on the street by a wide range of names, including “fizzies” or “amidone.”
  • Codeine. Classified as a Schedule II, Schedule III or Schedule IV drug depending upon its configuration, codeine, and drugs with codeine as the active ingredient can be dangerous in any amount or form. The drug comes in a wide range of formulations and is prescribed to treat everything from cough to chronic pain. On the market, it can be found in drugs like Fiorinal with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Tylenol with codeine, and Robitussin A-C. On the street, it may be called, among other things, “schoolboy,” “cody,” and “Captain Cody.”
  • Meperidine, propoxyphene, hydromorphone and more. There is a wide range of opiate medications sold as Dilaudid, Darvocet, Darvon, Demerol, and Opana. They more than often fly under the radar of the general public. Be forewarned that use and abuse of these drugs can lead to addiction just as easily as abuse of more commonly known opiate substances like heroin and OxyContin. They may come in the form of suppositories or pills, and they may be ingested by swallowing, snorting or injecting them.

Help Is Available for Opiate Addiction

No matter what form it takes or what the specific substance of choice, dependence upon opiate drugs of any kind can be treated with effective rehabilitation and long-term care. Contact us at Black Bear Lodge today at 706-914-2327 and learn more about how we can help your family member begin the healing process.

To learn more on the history of opioid use, check out this timeline of the epidemic we are now facing today.