Increased Potential for Addiction to Oxycontin in Teens

Rockefeller University research with mice is suggesting that adolescents need lower doses of the prescription drug oxycontin than adults do to achieve the same effects. Researchers believe that changes in the brain from adolescence to adulthood mean that the effects of oxycontin are somewhat diminish in potency over this period. However, recent research has found that ingestion of oxycontin in adolescence stunts this effect. That is, taking oxycontin in adolescence prevents the natural decline of the drugs potency in adults. This finding has led them to believe that adolescents who take this drug will be more susceptible to an oxycontin addiction into their adult years. Oxycontin is a powerful opiate in the same class of drugs with morphine, heroin and codine. You can read more here.

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