We have recently published two articles related to the Paragon ICO (links below). The project was launched by Jessica Versteeg to bring awareness of the dangers of using pain killers as opposed to the benefits of using Marijuana as a means of dealing with pain.
This story resonates with me in a big way and I would like to tell a bit about my issues in the past.
Most pain killers are made from a drug called Oxycodone. Whether it be Percocet or Oxycodone itself the base is Oxycodone. What many do not know is that this pill form of pain killer comes from the same poppy seeds as Heroin.
There has been a rampant abuse of these drugs in the US especially in the past five to ten years and I believe that this one of the most serious epidemics in recent times. There are definitely benefits for the severely pained individuals that need these strong medications, but they come with challenges.
What is Oxycodone?
On the National Medical Systems website they define what Oxycodone is:
“Oxycodone is a pain relieving medication that has recently become a very popular drug of choice for illicit users. In the medical sense, Oxycodone is one powerful and amazing pain relieving drug for those who really need it. It is most commonly prescribed to patients to manage pain after surgery. Oxycodone has very similar qualities to morphine. However, it is unique in the way that it is a 24 hour time released drug. This time release attribute allows those who are in pain to feel constant relief throughout the day.”
Please note the bold words “very popular drug of choice for illicit users”. As we have mentioned above, while there may be a place for some to need this powerful drug, it is being over-subscribed by doctors and sold on the street. The dangers inherent in the use of drugs range from lack of proper function on a daily basis to the worst possible case of overdose. This is definitely not something to be taken lightly.
Abuse of Oxycodone
The NMS goes on to explain the problems with the continued abuse of this drug as follows:
“Prescription pain reliever drugs are now the number one cause of drug overdose related deaths in the United States. It should be no surprise to hear then how Oxycodone is abused nationwide. It is known to cause euphoric effects, lessen anxiety, and give the user an overall pleasant experience. This undoubtedly goes hand in hand with the extremely addictive nature of the drug. Oxycontin has become one of the most commonly abused forms of the drug Oxycodone. Users chew or crush the pills in order to snort or intravenously inject directly into their blood stream.”
Let’s look at some Oxycodone abuse facts…
- Oxycontin has more first time abusers than marijuana or cocaine.
- There is Oxycodone use in all 3,140 counties in the United States.
- It has been illicitly abused for the past 20-30 years and is currently on the rise.
- The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) stated that “Oxycodone-related hospital visits increased from 5,211 visits per year in 1998 to a staggering 10,825 visits per year in 2000.” This continues to grow in size.
As you can see from above, Oxycodone is more abused than Marijuana, so that that think Oxycodone is a better solution because it is prescribed by a doctor are being fooled. This drug is being abused and can be found on the streets and is very dangerous.
Why this Resonates so Deeply for Me
I felt like I had to write about this problem because I too fell victim to this horrible epidemic. It started with lower back pain. I went to my doctor and he prescribed me Percocet 5 mg. Fo r those who don’t know this drug is a combination of Oxycodone and Tylenol. As the strength of the 5 mg wasn’t strong enough, we raised it to 10 mg and the story goes on. In the end, I was taking 30 mg of straight Oxycodone 5 times a day. Thank God the pain was managed but I couldn’t even get out of bed without taking it as it is very dependent and the body craves it every four hours or so if you take it regularly. I was miserable and wanted to stop after 2 and half years to three years because every time I would run out of pills I would go into the beginning stages of withdrawal. Eventually, I found a replacement drug Suboxone that tricks the brain into filling the drug wanting receptors and the withdrawal effect went away and there is no high.
I was lucky, as I did not have the serious challenges that many have and can lead to overdose. I did turn to Marijuana for a while and it was a much better solution as it is more “habitual” than addictive and if you miss a puff you don’t have the horrible side effects.
Paragoncoin ICO and What is its Mission
If you read the press releases will include below, you will see the plan of ParagonCoin and what it aims to accomplish. It wants to bring awareness of the use of Marijuana for pain relief as opposed to the other more harmful choices. Their goal is to build on the blockchain a system that decentralizes and through open source tracks the Marijuana trade as it continues to become more and more accepted in the US for medical treatment and recreational use. This will put transparency in the industry.
Website: https://paragoncoin.com/ https://paragoncoin.com/