There is a new super painkiller called Zohydro ER that is waiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The new drug is causing a stir of controversy because of its strength and potential for misuse. Because of this, the new drug is being compared to other opiate painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin that have had devastating effects in regards to substance dependence.
Zohydro ER is an extended release (12 hour) form of the opiate drug called hydrocodone. Unlike other opiate painkillers on the market like Vicodin that are a mix of hydrocodone and acetaminophen, Zohydro ER contains 100 percent hydrocodone. Mixed opiate painkillers like Vicodin are extremely addictive, but a pure hydrocodone painkiller like Zohydro ER has an even greater potential for dependence.
Another painkiller, OxyContin, which is made from the opiate oxycodone, is the most abused prescription drug in the U.S. (Vicodin is second and Zohydro ER contains 10 times more hydrocodone than Vicodin). OxyContin was also a time-release drug in which crushing the pill avoided this function. This resulted in a major abuse problem and gave OxyContin (which is no longer available in its original form because of the rampant abuse) the label “hillbilly heroin.”
A major concern with Zohydro ER is its time-release strength, which is 12 hours (as opposed to Vicodin which is only 2-4 hours). As with OxyContin, abusers could potentially have access to the full strength of the pill by crushing it then eating or snorting it and receiving a large and dangerous dose of the opiate drug. Approval for this drug (the manufacturer, Zogenix, stands to make millions from it) comes at a time when prescription drug abuse and overdoses are reaching epidemic proportions in this country.
