Prescription opioid pain medications such as Oxycontin® and Vicodin® can have effects similar to heroin when taken in doses or in ways other than prescribed, and research now suggests that abuse of these drugs may open the door to heroin abuse.
Nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed in three recent studies reported abusing prescription opioids before using heroin. Some individuals reported taking up heroin because it is cheaper and easier to obtain than prescription opioids.
Many of these young people also report that crushing prescription opioid pills to snort or inject the powder provided their initiation into these methods of drug administration.
Dextromethorphan can cause impaired motor function, numbness, nausea or vomiting, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. On rare occasions, hypoxic brain damage—caused by severe respiratory depression and a lack of oxygen to the brain—has occurred due to the combination of dextromethorphan with decongestants often found in the medication.
All of these drugs have the potential for addiction, and this risk amplifies when abused. Also, as with other drugs, abuse of prescription and OTC drugs can alter a person’s judgment and decision-making, leading to dangerous behaviors such as unsafe sex and drugged driving.