Oxycodone is a prescription drug that acts as a depressant of the central nervous system. It is a narcotic, much like Vicodin and morphine and is used to treat moderate to severe pain like that caused by fractures, arthritis, childbirth and serious diseases like Cancer

Going by such brand names as Percocet, OxyContin, Tylox and Percodan, oxycodone is an opiate that is highly addictive and is being abused by many. When taken repeatedly, one can become tolerant to the drug, therefore requiring higher doses to experience the same effects. Oxycodone is often mistakenly referred to as oxycotton. While OxyContin is a brand name of the drug, oxycotton is just a misspelling of the name. This drug is also referred to as oxy and hillbilly heroin on the street.

Oxycodone Side Effects

Oxycodone is very addictive and is often abused by individuals who begin taking the drug as a part of a prescription but spiral out of control into actually abusing it. As their tolerance increases, they require a higher and higher oxycodone dosage to achieve the same effects, such as euphoria, pain relief and the prevention of withdrawal symptoms.

When taken as prescribed, oxycodone can cause several side effects including constipation, headache, nausea, excessive sweating and dry mouth. An oxycodone overdose can cause severe symptoms including seizures, coma, dizziness, clammy skin and slowed breathing.

Oxycodone Abuse

Abusers of oxycodone may either take it in its original pill form or crush it into a powder to be snorted. The drug can also be melted in water and injected. Because the drug is meant to act as a time-released pain reliever, when crushed or injected oxycodone causes an intense high that involves feelings of euphoria. This is how abusers experience an oxycodone overdose, due to the large amount of the substance being released into their system at once, rather than slowly released over time in the oxycodone pill form.

Signs of Oxycodone Addiction

If a person’s use of oxycodone is radically different from their prescription or doctor’s recommendations, or is taken without a prescription, they may be addicted to the drug. Oxycodone abuse can be seen in those who have developed a dependence on the drug and will continue to take it despite negative consequences. Their bodies go through withdrawal when the intake of the drug is ceased. Withdrawal symptoms are quite obvious and include anxiety, diarrhea, nausea, muscle cramping, especially in the legs, and restlessness.

How To Test For Oxycodone Abuse

There are many different types of drug tests available that detect oxycodone. When searching for one, look for those that test for opiate abuse. Also look for drug tests that test for another opiate, hydrocodone. This substance can be found in drugs such as Vicodin and produces much of the same affects as oxycodone. Drug testing kits come in several types including oxycodone urine tests, saliva tests and hair tests.

Employers, in particular, are often concerned with drug testing and how to go about administering it, yet don’t know where to turn. Liability rests on the shoulders of the employer, making drug abuse of utmost concern. While abusing oxycodone can decrease a person’s ability to make sound judgments and decisions, the abuse of any drug in the workplace can potentially lead to disastrous results. This is why employers often opt to start an employee drug testing program.

Parents, too are worried about drug use in their homes. Teenage drug abuse of substances such as oxycodone is a serious matter. Even the slightest suspicion of teen drug use, and a drug test should be administered.

Orlando, FL (PRWEB) March 12, 2009 — Medical Disposables has announced today the promotion of Jennifer Munoz as new Vice President of Marketing. In her new role Munoz will be responsible for driving and managing all aspects of the company’s marketing efforts in the national and international drug test markets, and to obtain new channels of opportunities for the company sales department. Munoz’s main focus will be develop marketing strategies to expand the company presence and visibility in the lateral flow immunoassay drug testing kits market. She will lineup with the company vertical growth strategies and her high impact marketing programs to continue the expansion and presence in the world for the lateral flow immunoassay onsite drug test and infectious disease test market. Another aspect will be to research and develop the Home Drug Test market which has grown exponentially in the pass years in the U.S. and internationally.

Jennifer Munoz, VP Marketing

Munoz explains, “The most important goal is to have Medical Disposables gain top of the mind awareness for the drug test market with the customer who will associate the high quality drug test products and excellence in customer service with company. Also take charge of all the challenges that daily exist in the drug test global market and have an exceptional ROI for all the projects we put in place. We must strengthen our team approach whereby the company will assist local and international distributors in maximizing opportunities to capture large accounts and governmental clients. Also provide our distributors with additional information regarding effective selling strategies for drug testing kits in the workplace markets as well as a review of current competition, the latest product enhancements, and new variations.”

Jennifer Munoz joined Medical Disposables since June 2006 and has a worked in marketing department implementing an excellent Customer Relationship Management program that has helped increase company customer’s loyalty. Since joining the company Munoz has proven her outstanding ability to create and develop ideas to promote our products to reach more customers. Medical Disposables looks forward to her effectiveness to communicate and implement marketing programs that will help the sales department to achieve their goals in a more successful way to introduce new products and keep strong bonds with the company national and international accounts for drug screens. Prior to Medical Disposables Munoz worked with Colombian Productions in Medellin, Colombia. Her position as Event Logistics and Public Relation Coordinator she implemented programs to improve attendance at local events. Her effective programs with local media and the artists in which concerts benefited from free coverage from the media and the artist boosted his image with free public relation and the effect was more audience attendance.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services drug use in the workplace costs U.S. companies more than $81 billion a year in turnover and lost productivity. The U.S. drug testing market has grown rapidly in recent years and is now valued at more than $1.5 billion annually. Medical Disposables is a privately own Biomedical Technology company who supplies the most advanced line of professional onsite drug tests and infectious disease test to professionals in the United States and worldwide. Medical Disposables high quality lateral flow immunoassay onsite drug testing and infectious disease test kits, produce by FDA approved manufacturer, reduce critical time in the substance abuse market to diagnose and detect the use of drugs, making Medical Disposables one of the leaders of the lateral flow immunoassay onsite drug test market in the United States and internationally. The company’s global distributor’s network targets the workplace, physicians, correctional, clinical, educational and home drug test markets.

Detection periods

The following chart gives approximate detection periods for each substance by test type.^[1] The ranges depend on amount and frequency of use, metabolic rate, body mass, age, overall health, and urine pH. For ease of use, the detection times ofmetabolites have been incorporated into each parent drug. For example, heroin and cocaine can only be detected for a few hours after use, but their metabolites can be detected for several days in urine. In this type of situation, we will report the (longer) detection times of the metabolites.

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Addiction experts say home drug test have a big drawback: They destroy child-parent trust 

The Boulder mother had been down this road with one child and swore she would never make a return trip. When she became suspicious her younger son was trying drugs, she went to Walgreens, plunked down $38 for a home drug test kit and told him to pee in a cup.

The high school junior was furious. And busted.

“Don’t you trust me?” he wailed.

His mother would not budge.

Finally, reluctantly, the 16-year-old, whose name is not being used to protect his privacy, confessed: The reason he didn’t want to take the test was that it would be positive.

His mother thanked him for his honesty and gave him 30 days to clean up his act. There would be another test when he least expected. A month later, she sent him back to the bathroom, home drug test cup in hand. He passed.

In the year since, she hasn’t tested him again. But that doesn’t mean she won’t. She keeps a test in the house, just in case.

What makes this mother’s private act of parental vigilance so extraordinary is not that she and tens of thousands of other parents have bought into the multimillion-dollar home drug test industry.

It’s that parents do so despite warnings from most major drug-abuse and treatment professionals, the nation’s medical establishment, parenting experts and even the White House. All call home drug testing teens a bad idea.

“I guess home drug testing is better than no testing,” said a skeptical Bertha Madras, the White House’s deputy drug czar.

But her Office of National Drug Control Policy does not encourage parents to take matters into their own hands. Instead, the Bush administration backs random school drug testing, arguing schools are better equipped to help with counseling and referrals if a problem is found.

“By the time a parent tests, it’s already far down the road,” Madras said. “If they get a positive result, then what? Parents may or may not have the skill to proceed.” 

Test accuracy a concern

In March, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement opposing both home drug testing and involuntary drug testing in schools. The medical group prefers worried parents have their children tested by qualified doctors or treatment specialists because of the possibility of error or tampering.

“It’s deceptively simple, but the truth is, it’s actually a very complicated issue,” said Dr. Sharon Levy, who specializes in childhood addiction at Children’s Hospital Boston.

Levy has studied the meteoric rise of home drug testing since the federal Food and Drug Administration first approved the kits in 1997. She worries not only about inaccuracy but also about eroding trust during a time when many teens are already pulling away.

Most tests use a litmus strip to detect traces of drugs or byproducts in urine. Others check hair samples or saliva. As many as 12 illicit and prescription drugs can be detected.

Still, experts worry the home tests are not sophisticated enough to catch low levels or every drug being used.

“Parents are motivated by the best of intentions,” Levy said. “They are told by marketers this is a good thing to do. But drug testing is basically a threat. And while it might have some short-term behavioral changes, I don’t think it’s a good long- term prevention method.”

Abuse by teens of prescription drugs, such as Vicodin and OxyContin, remains a problem. However, the most recent survey of 50,000 eighth-, 10th-, and 12th-graders by Monitoring the Future shows the use of illicit drugs, such as marijuana, actually is decreasing. Monitoring the Future, a study by University of Michigan researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health, has tracked drug use among adolescents since 1975.

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