Cost to communities

Answering the Cry for Help:

Martha’s Story gives a glimpse of the gravity of prescription drug abuse in our communities of Northwestern Ontario. Initially the problem began in the major cities of Canada, in particular, the CORE HOOD areas where many people live below the poverty line. Here unemployment, crime and drugs are rampant. For many, they are trapped in this modern day mentality and trend. Native people from remote northern communities have become part of this trend. They are the ones bringing this new drug into the north with big, fast money in return.

In our remote isolated villages, the problem with prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic.

For example, 80mg of Oxycontin sells for $400 per pill. A typical user will spend $200 per day to satisfy their basic need. A more chronic user will spend $400 to $600 per day just to feel normal and function. This type of person will do anything to get this fix. I have observed individuals who are addicted that will sell their TV’s, furniture and anything of value to get money to support their habit.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of prices (shared by pushers) in 2009:

Type of Drug	Amount/Size	Price
Oxycontin	20mg	$75-100
	40mg	$150-200
	60mg	$300-400
Percocet	5mg	$40-75
Tylenol	No. 1’s	$1-2
	No. 2’s	$3-4
	No. 3’s	$5-7
Codeine	100mg	$25-30
	150mg	$40-60
Morphine	30mg	$45-55
	100mg	$120-150
	200mg	$225 -->

Having been involved in mental health services and crisis intervention work for many years, I’ve seen many people both young and old, who have very severe problems and unresolved hurts and who’ve turned to alcohol and drugs for relief. From their pain and past hurts, I’ve encountered first-hand that several of our precious young people at the zenith years of their lives end their lives by suicide because they could no longer support their habit and/or don’t have services to help them break their drug addiction.

The question needs to be asked, “What make these prescription drugs (substances) so addictive?”

Two things and they are (1) reinforcement - meaning that addictive substances reinforce the use, the habit - meaning creates the urge to have more - use more.

How does this happen? Substances are more reinforcing if they:

• have a rapid onset of action - a sense of rush and buzz
• provide a powerful euphoric effect
• have a short duration of action
• quickly lead to tolerance (making client desensitized) to the drug causing a person to need more and more if wanting the desired effect
• increases the level of dopamine in the reward center of brain or ‘final common pathway’

The other answer to “What makes these prescription drugs so addictive?” is susceptibility!

Factors that influence a person’s susceptibility to substances of this kind include:

• genetics
• availability of the substance
• concurrent mental problems (We know this is common.)
• feelings of alienations eg. loss of hope and connection
• unstable living conditions eg. poverty, unemployment, family dysfunction

One medical doctor I talked to in regards to this epidemic said that a person who uses this type of drug won’t last 20 years. He said people who drink can last 40 years but for those on prescription drugs, their lives are cut in half. Before Christmas, Wawatay newspaper carried an article on the front page titled, “Keewaywin battles prescription drug abuse crisis,” on which the Chief sounded the alarm of how severe the prescription drug problem was in his community.

Keewaywin is just one of many northern communities who have this crisis. I believe this modern day reality will get even worse before we can truly confront and stop this massive problem. I truly believe it can done as you and I help individuals like Martha Kakegamic.