Comments on: First Look: Vanguard’s “The OxyContin Express”

By: Khan

Khan — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 12:46:27 +0000

I have started hainvg major back pain, mainly in my lower back, but have never been to a doctor for it. Unfortunately in high school I chose to march a tuba in band for three years straight about 20-25 hrs. a week. I am only 4’10 and 105 lbs. Also, I am a waitress and I have to carry 50-60 lb. trays all day full of food. I have tried taking advil, tylenol w/codeine, ibuprofen- everything, even stonger stuff. Nothing has worked, except for my father’s vicodin which he lets me take on occasion. I want to go to the doctor and have him help me with this problem, but I don’t want to come off as a drug-addicted young person begging for pills, but so far vicodin is the only thing that has seemed to do the trick. And I don’t like going to the chiropractor, I just feel uncomfortable with someone touching my back and it cures the pain for a day then it comes back. So I don’t know how to tell the doc that I can’t get physical help with it.I dont really believe in taking pills, but lately vicodin has been wonderful to me. What do doctors usually prescribe or recommend for back pain? What do I do?oh I’m 20 by the way

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By: Jim Snyder

Jim Snyder — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 22:03:32 +0000

I just finished watching Vanguard’s 2009 Oxycontin Express, their doc about the prescription drug trade in Florida. It seems that Florida is the only state in the union that has no system of reportage for doctors writing CII- or the highest class of- narcotic drugs.

The film is remarkable, in that it shows us a lot of remarkable practices among a lot of legitimately-licensed docs in the Sunshine State. We learn that some 75% of all Oxycontin sold in the United States was prescribed in Florida.

The name, Oxycontin Express, is derived from the fact that hundreds drive- or fly to Florida specifically to “doctor shop”, to procure Oxycontin in huge quantities. We see just what a huge racket the so-called pain management business is down there.

The producers ride along with cops on stings. We see the Sheriff’s Dept. of Broward County bust people outside a pharmacy for selling their pills. We go along to Kentucky, where a backwoods sheriff has nailed a couple dozen housewives for “diverting” their prescriptions. One thrty-ish woman received seven years in prison for her sales rap. What we don’t ever see in this film is the arrest or even anything beyond mild harrassment of the crooked doctors themselves. We see cops talking about how ‘getting the doctors is very hard, so we go after these lower echelon people’. And we get up close and personal with the remains of a family that has been devastated by Oxycontin addiction. And it appears that all involved agree on one thing. Their efforts are absolutely without reward.

There is a profound lack of understanding of just what addiction means to an individual – or his /her family. There is no understanding of what addiction is… period.

What we don’t get by watching this exercise in outrage, is that once these drugs get into the hands of these poor slobs- people who are going through all these remarkable changes, just to possess a couple hundred pills- is that they, in most instances- have little choice. We do understand from the surviving son of a family that has lost a brother and a wife is that these addicts are not bad guys. We get that, after the doctors, there are no bad guys, really. Once the drug has control, they have no choice but to hustle pills and then sell them, take tham and whatever else their needs dictate.

When I saw the Broward County Sheriff’s undercover agents getting ready to go out on a sting, I was expecting some satisfaction as the cops swooped down on the unscrupulous doctors and their Escalade-driving henchmen. But, no. The cops, no doubt at great expense, drive to a local pharmacy and bust some poor couple for selling ten tablets of the stuff. It makes one realize just how worthless cops are in the so-called War on Drugs. One more tortured soul in the jail at taxpayers’ expense. One more dope addict the local politicians can brag about ‘gettin’ off the street6′.

The net result of all this is a big fat goose egg. As many questions are posed as are answered in this piece. OK. So Florida has no reporting system for narcotic scripts. Then why does Broward license these hundreds of businesses calling themselves Pain Management Clinics? What would- or could- the 123rd doctor to apply for one of these business licenses say if he were turned down at the county level? The funny thing here is that most of the greed seems to exist in places other than the so-called pushers. Ten thousand tabs of Oxycontin are written daily in Broward County and the sheriff wastes dozens of expensive man-hours to toss two people in the brig and get twenty tablets off the street. We hear a cop say, “So I think we’ve had a pretty good day!” -after delineating the 22 grams of this and that they’ve saved us all from using to ruin our collective life. Right. If a good day is getting paid for doing- or at least accomplishing nothing…

Cops, judges and lawmakers don’t seem to have much, beyond the weird blood-lust they get when they see someone getting high or making a dollar illegally. We look at the criminals via this movie and then we watch who goes to jail- and who suffers- and we can’t help but wonder… Can we really feel that our public servants are earning their keep by locking that woman up for seven years? Even the kindly ol’ bumpkin sheriff seems to approach that one somewhat at arm’s length.

If there is a sequel to this movie, maybe it could be called Legal Justice Express. Except that no one is traveling to Florida these days for anything related to justice.

By: Marsha Schorr

Marsha Schorr — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:46:06 +0000

My son (age 24) died last year from snorting Oxycontin obtained illegally. We lived in Cape Coral, Florida. My life as I knew it ended along with his. He was my only son. I say get the ridiculous drug off the market and do it as fast as possible. A few people needing it for pain can be transitioned over to something else – it’s not worth the loss of life that oxycontin leaves in its’ wake. There’s a group in SW Florida who are able to sell the stuff on the streets without consequence. google: Rod Spiller.

By: Brian M. Hart

Brian M. Hart — Mon, 24 May 2010 01:00:23 +0000

I was addicted to using Oxycotin and Heroin Introveneously for almost eight years. I just celebrated 3 years clean last month. There is a way out but it takes extensive repair of body, mind and soul. You have to isolate the problem that drugs are the solution for. I was lucky enough, after going to numerous 12 step based rehab programs to run across a non-traditional program that works.

By: What a Joke!

What a Joke! — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:52:29 +0000

This is nothing more than DEA propaganda! Oxycontin and other opiate pain medications are not used for Cancer only. There are many people who suffer from severe chronic pain (I am one of them) and these type of medications are the only ones that help. Because of idiots like Todd and the woman who made this joke of a documentary, people that need these meds for their pain are denied treatment. If you want to make a documentary, how about making one about pain patients and their need for these wonderful pain medications to be able to function like a normal human being and not bedridden because the pain is too horrible, but we are denied care and many of us commit suicide because of being either undertreated or not treated at all. How about making one about that and not one State’s problem with junkies.

You should be ashamed of yourself for not doing the research for people with chronic pain and putting it into this “documentary”!

By: What a Joke!

What a Joke! — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:50:04 +0000

By: Job EXTREMELY well done

Job EXTREMELY well done — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:34:52 +0000

Siobhan Reynolds,
I am an 18 year old living right here in South Florida. I can personally say that this documentary is 100% accurate, and those of you who disagree are blind and ignorant. It is disgusting how easy it is to find and get pain killers such as Oxycontin and Roxys!
It is crucial that the word gets out and the problem does get solved. Although people do need to take responsibility for their actions, it is the governments job to protect the people from harm in the first place, i.e. stronger regulation. This way THOSE WHO ACTUALLY NEED IT are getting it, and those who don’t are not.

Bill Nuna,
You are very wrong. Addicts aren’t just those “living off the rest of us”, though that is what you would like to think, they are everyone from the RICH to the poor.

By: Shanna

Shanna — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:31:21 +0000

I get that people in pain need need their pain pills ,but makes me wonder if some aren’t addicted themselves thinking they have to have them to live. No one can tell me anything about this topic when my husband OD on pain pills in Aug. 2009 at the age of 33 he was going back & forth from KY to FL for 4mths lost 60 lbs in a short time also. I know some don’t feel sorry for people being on drugs ,but those people need to understand at first it is a choice but turns into an addiction than thats when it’s hard to control without support & help. My husband was introduced by Oxy’s from someone he thought was his friend & the guy got him hooked & even had my husbands family in denial he was a good guy. I also have a friend who is on Oxy’s now within the last 4mths she use to be a size 12 now is a size 2 she looks awful & like she is dying.

After my husband had passed there was a very high level of Oxycotin in his system. For those who think it’s a joke I’m here to tell you it’s not & some are just being selfish by saying “well what about me I can’t get pills?” I’m sure you could if you really wanted them that bad.
Seriously, if these kids are handed out Oxy’s & Roxy’s from these clinics like it’s candy then I’m sure people that are really in pain can get what they need. I don’t buy that sorry! It’s just something else to complain about. I have had 4 deaths within 7mths related to Oxy’s & Roxy’s so don’t tell me it’s not getting bad . Yes drugs have always been an issue for ever but random people are OD on these pills left & right at very young ages & NOTHING is being done. Why? is my question…It doesn’t add up when Celebs are even dying & still nothing is being done. 11 people are dying a day in FL just over pain pills alone….HELLO??? IS this thing on???

How about those who are only worried about themselves not being able to get what THEY want for their own needs & actually help shut these clinics down so you can be able to get the treatment you need easier cause complaining about it isn’t doing any good. I know it makes too much sense & why should someone actually care & do something for someone else right??? Exactly so sit & pout to everyone then hush it up until you really know what people have had to go through that have had friends & family pass away over this topic.

Jennifer King, I know your comment was along time ago but would like to say just be careful with your daughter. I know you think she will stay clean after her treatment .My husband didn’t when he got out of rehab & he still got back on pills. You have to be very careful & not be in denial. I wasn’t & could tell every time my husband would lie which he hated that & it began an arguement but I didn’t care. It only took him one time to get hooked back on them. Addicts get tempted at their weakest time in their lifes like a dog could die or fam member & they try anything to get rid of the pain cause thats the best way they know how not knowing it could be the last time their alive. I wish you nothing but the best & I do wish there was something I could do myself to help get these clinics out of business.

By: NoExcuses

NoExcuses — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:53:37 +0000

Step son from Melbourne in a one year treatment program. He was shooting it. His Mom in West Palm nearly died when she OD’d from the pain clinic shopping spree they were on. Now I live in TN where facts are reported.
http://www.newschannel9.com/news/seized-988844-pills-bradley.html

By: aaron wintergreen

aaron wintergreen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:11:11 +0000

Oxycontin detox can be very overwhelming. Having info like this prior to entering gives the detoxer a great reference point.

Thanks for the informative blog.

By: Jennifer King

Jennifer King — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:23:10 +0000

I live in South Florida and on Thursday had to put my 20 year daughter into detox after finding out she was addicted to roxy’s and xanax. Over the past two days I’ve done nothing but research this and realize that this is absolutely happening right before our eyes. She kept telling me about how she got them with MRI’s and I had no idea what she was talking about. Now it all makes sense and so many things are falling into place. I live on an island that isn’t full of beaches and so it’s affordable. There’s an entire generation of kids on this island that are consumed by these drugs. I have watched this documentary 5 times so far. I’ve also found that it’s not just Broward county. Now they are banching out and taking up residence on our side of the state (we are on the east coast). I want this stopped and I want to know what I should do to help. I’m so angry right now I can’t see straight. It’s the same people who recently devestated our housing market, the vampires of South Florida who always have their hands in every part of what makes Florida so corrupt. To those of you that are defending this, you’ve got to be kidding me. If you have legitimate ailments you can go to a legitmate doctor. This is a front and you know it.

By: james kildare

james kildare — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:38:57 +0000

The opioids narcotics are effective for diseases such as chronic pain partially solved, medicines like Vicodin, Lortab, oxycodone, Lorcet are widely used in USA and Europe for medical specialists according to findrxonline the percentage of use of these drugs is very high in this part of the continent.

By: Mariana is WRONG

Mariana is WRONG — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:44:20 +0000

its hilarious how this whole story does not take all the real pain patients into account at all. Just reports on idiots like Todd who smoke their Oxycontin. What about REAL PAIN PATIENTS VANGAURD?????? you claim to be a journalist, well stop being a propaganda machine for the DEA

By: Advocate for Oxycontin for legitimate Pain

Advocate for Oxycontin for legitimate Pain — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:40:48 +0000

Siobhan is correct. As an educated individual who is also a pain patient, I can say that Mariana did not do her research on medical treatments and what Opioids are used for. Many in correct statements made such as “Oxycontin is only for cancer death patients” WRONG.
That is not at all true. Oxycontin was not NOT made for Cancer Pain who are dying . It is for all chronic pain, non-malignant and non terminal pain especially. When you have a nerve impingement or disc problem makin you want to die, but then instead of spending thousands on surgery a tiny pill gives you life back and if your not an idiot and don’t abuse it you will function just FINE! That part is of course not reported in your story. The DEA is already ruining the lives of pain patients around the world. And dare I say it, Opioid provide so many more benefits then just pain relief, I actually advocate for them being used for psychological conditions, but that is never going to happen in this backwards society. I blame both the government hard headed types and the abusers. Read the article below Mariana if you reading this, it will do you a lot of good. You did NOT do the right type of intellectual research before presenting you one sided piece of pill mills.

http://forum.opiophile.org/archive/index.php/t-16751.html

You have no idea what “Chronic Pain” is and that is your first problem. Disc degeneration, nerve issues, the list goes on all of these people start off on percs but need somthing which does not make them drowsy and can deal with their pain giving them a better quality of life, and if there is something that can do that for you, it doesn’t mean that you are part of some pain clinic conspiracy. Florida Pain clinics are not the story hunny, Opiate abuse has been going on way before Oxycontin in Florida. It is about how to get legitimate pain patients prescriptions without having one sided stories like yours make us all look bad! Got it?

By: Keith A. Lindsey, MBA

Keith A. Lindsey, MBA — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:08:34 +0000

Siobhan, you’ve got to be kidding me! Either you are completely bereft of a moral compass or just completely stupid! The people that were shown in this expose were flagrantly and admittedly doing prescription drugs…and not in the way it was intended! How many people smoke Oxy as prescribed by a physician? You’re not supposed to do that! You’re supposed to take it as intended…with water and swallowing the pill.

There may well be people who are denied pain meds, but it would seem to me that all they would have to do is take a trip to Broward County Florida and they could have all the pain meds that they want!

Also, did you not see the men who were following the reporters in this story? Have you thought to ask yourself WHY they were doing that if nothing illegal or immoral was going on?

People who advocate the legalization of drugs should watch this story as it illustrates what the result of such will be: Many people dying and many leading miserable unproductive lives as addicts!

To the reporters of this story, hat’s off to you! You’ve done an excellent job of exposing this problem! Well done!

Best Regards,

Keith A. Lindsey, MBA

By: Siobhan Reynolds

Siobhan Reynolds — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:50:36 +0000

This is disgraceful and utterly misleading DEA propaganda. Classic DEA story line.
The conflation of drug abuse and pain treatment is a crime against people in pain and the government has no business developing propaganda like this with our tax dollars.
The real story is that millions are DENIED pain care due to the DEA’s crackdown on pain treatment. I would be very interested to see this “reporters” credentials and to learn of the origins of this story.
People are dying in droves out here because they can’t get care, folks…but what do you care? You are trying to justify your unjustifiable and failed war on drugs.