CARBONDALE - On Dec. 17, 20-year-old Kurt Mueller, a Southern Illinois University Carbondale junior majoring in political science, was found in an apartment in Carbondale.

Jackson County Coroner Dr. Thomas Kupferer said a preliminary investigation indicates recreational drug use and indicators point to OxyContin as the fatal drug.

What is OxyContin?

OxyContin is a prescription pain reliever made from the opium poppy. Its effects are similar to morphine. When the drug was introduced in 1996, it was primarily intended for the pain treatment of cancer patients or those who suffered from severe or chronic pain. However, the prescription drug grew in popularity and was prescribed for more common ailments such as post-surgery or back pain.

OxyContin is a time-release medication. The active ingredient of the drug, oxycodone, is released over a 12-hour period. Even when the drug is part of a pain-management system, legitimate users can become addicted to it.

The real danger, though, comes when the intended use of the drug is ignored and it is taken for recreation. When OxyContin pills are chewed, snorted or injected, they can become deadly.

John Cheney, director of pharmacy for Herrin Hospital, said OxyContin is a central-nervous-system depressant. Overdosing on such a drug can lead to respiratory depression, coma and death. The body basically forgets to breathe.

Recreational users of OxyContin sidestep the time-release character of the prescription pill by crushing it and taking it all at once. This gives "one huge push of a dose at one time," Cheney said.

"I would think that especially someone new at recreational drug use would be more susceptible to overdosing - especially if alcohol is involved," he said.

SIEG Director Rob Fierstein said his drug enforcement agents most commonly find OxyContin and similar prescription drugs in conjunction with other drugs.

"Usually this is just another avenue for them to get high," he said. "There are some people out there who are just into the prescription drugs, but we usually see it when we are investigating other illegal drugs."

Fierstein said the way his covert group of undercover police officers typically encounters those heavily involved in prescription drug is when the drugs are being sold illegally. A single OxyContin pill can go for as much as $20 on the street.

"We see it run the gamut," he said when asked if there was a common profile of a prescription drug abuser. "You see a little bit of everywhere - from college kids who get their hands on it to hard-core drug users. There are no surprises there."

Prosecution of prescription drug abuse can be difficult. In an earlier interview, Fierstein said even when law enforcement officers know prescription drugs seized during a drug bust have been stolen, proving who did the actual stealing can be almost impossible. In addition, investigation can be stalled because the pills have to be officially verified by laboratory testing. Visual identification of the drug isn't enough to hold up in court.

Cheney said his professional acquaintances are concerned about abuse of the drug. Pharmacists try to be vigilant about catching prescription fraud. And especially retail pharmacists are worried about the possibility of being robbed or burglarized for stores of OxyContin and related drugs.

"We see people with chronic pain, and this drug can make it possible for them to work and to take care of their children," Cheney said, noting there is a legitimate use for OxyContin. "It's not the dark alley stuff - it's pretty common."

andrea.hahn@thesouthern.com

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nicole.sack@thesouthern.com

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