Hydrocodone: Easy Money Invites More Pharmacy Robberies

It's the addicts who suffer the most in this horrible circle of misery. Quite often a friend may give a naÆ'¯ve person who is experiencing some sort of pain a spare pill, and noting it's great qualities for pain relief as well as relaxation, the victim will then seek them out from their own doctors. From there it's a downward spiral: A few bottles in, and they're hooked. Starting small with codeine, then to Vicodin (known as Hydrocodone) and up to Oxycodone, addicts feel the ever-increasing need to keep up with their habit. By then it's not about the pain of the original injury or ailment, but about keeping the withdrawal symptoms to a minimum.

Painkiller dealers know and develop their market. The pills often fetch between $25 and $50 per pill on the street, while the drugstore price is approximately .75 cents. "Doctor Shopping" often works for a while with addicts, but once their welcome is lost, they must turn to the dealers, who often get their supplies in large quantity from robberies. Some addicts do their own robberies out of frustration at the cost of street prices, the humiliation of being turned down by doctors and pharmacists, and their own withdrawal symptoms.

Abuse in Suffolk County NY is widespread. Spend a day on the town, near schools, train stations, and on buses, and you will hear active negotiations and discussions of "good doctors". It's about time that the police department and local government officials step up their active investigations into the growing epidemic of painkiller abuse on Long Island.