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The Daily OrangeDrug trade: Vicodin, OxyContin abuse rises nearly 350 percent among college students
By Dan Thalker
Posted: 5/9/07, 4:15 PM EST Section: News
Walsh said a kid at his school took pills then drank and died as a result. As long as people are careful and use them in moderation, Walsh said there's nothing wrong with the occasional recreational pill popping. He said he has used pills fewer than 10 times, and none of his friends are addicted to them.
"Kids are always going to be using drugs," he said. "Whatever's available, they're probably going to do."
While Palfai knows of multiple cases where students became addicted to Vicodin or OxyContin, he said they are safer than many alternatives. Unlike cocaine and heroin, "you can take them a long time and it doesn't affect you physically," Palfai said. "I think it's a shift in the right direction."
While he said the trend will probably continue, Palfai said he hopes eventually a much safer drug becomes widely available. "They'll come up with a designer drug and it won't be addictive, or maybe ecstasy will come back after people find it's not as bad as the government said," Palfai said.
In the meantime, Palfai said people will always use or abuse drugs. "It's going to happen for the rest of the world's life," he said.
"Kids are always going to be using drugs," he said. "Whatever's available, they're probably going to do."
While Palfai knows of multiple cases where students became addicted to Vicodin or OxyContin, he said they are safer than many alternatives. Unlike cocaine and heroin, "you can take them a long time and it doesn't affect you physically," Palfai said. "I think it's a shift in the right direction."
While he said the trend will probably continue, Palfai said he hopes eventually a much safer drug becomes widely available. "They'll come up with a designer drug and it won't be addictive, or maybe ecstasy will come back after people find it's not as bad as the government said," Palfai said.
In the meantime, Palfai said people will always use or abuse drugs. "It's going to happen for the rest of the world's life," he said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Drug rehab program
posted 5/24/08 @ 3:07 PM EST
These statistics are dramatic, I feel helpless whenever I hear teens or students are facing this "epidemic". I don't want to find someone to blame, it's far more recommendable for us to find the solution that could open the eyes of our kids. (Continued…)
Vicodin addiction
posted 7/22/08 @ 3:04 PM EST
This is dramatic trend that urges rapid and effective solutions, in reality people are really pessimistic and it's important to change that and give them a motivation to fight this drug epidemic. (Continued…)
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