Many narcotic medications are used to relieve severe pain. Some of these medicines are stolen and end up "on the street." The addict often does not know if the substance he or she takes was originally manufacted by a pharmaceutical company or if it was produced and repackaged in an illicit laboratory. Learning the truth could be deadly.

Oxycontin (80mg pills shown) is a powerful narcotic that has helped many people cope with severe pain. Unfortunately, some of it has found its way to "the street" and many addicts are regularly using it. It is as addictive as heroin. When people addicted to oxycontin have trouble getting their drug, they almost always turn to heroin. They will sometimes switch to heroin simply because it is usually less expensive and easier to obtain.

Cocaine is sometimes mixed with heroin and the combination is smoked or snorted. Addicts call this "speedballing." There is no way to be certain what this combination really contains. Dealers may put ANY SUBSTANCE AT ALL in the mix and the addict may not find out about the true contents of the drug until it is too late.

Drugs "on the street" may look like those manufactured by a pharmatceutical company, but looks are often deceiving! There is no way to tell the potency of street drugs and this can lead to overdose and death.