POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 69 As originally published - www.ctv.ca The death of a London, Ont. mother's OxyContin-addicted son has prompted her to launch an awareness campaign about the painkiller. Chad Gardiner ended his life by jumping off a parking garage's roof. His mother Linda believes it was because of his addiction to what is essentially a legal form of heroin. "He didn't deserve to die like that, to be that tormented and broken, that he felt there was no help and no way out," she said. Chad was prescribed OxyContin to treat a painful wrist injury. He became hooked. Prescriptions that were supposed to last a month ran out in two weeks. But he kept getting more prescriptions. "It seems like it's handed out like candy. And that's just not right," said Kristin Gardiner, Chad's wife. Linda learned of other deaths linked to Oxycontin in North America -- and that some families are suing the drug's makers. As a result, she launched a campaign to raise awareness of OxyContin abuse. One part of that campaign is a website. Through that website, she met people like Kyle, put on the drug by his doctor to treat tendinitis. "He didn't tell me they were addictive. He didn't tell me anything," Kyle said. After becoming hooked, Kyle bought the drug on the street after his prescription ran out. "I could find them within the hour. If one person didn't have them, I could get them from someone else," he said. In the next few weeks, two Atlantic provinces will be issuing task force reports on OxyContin abuse. They should provide the first real picture of the scope of what some say is a hidden epidemic. Some questions that are likely to come up include how much of this drug is ending up on the streets, and whether doctors are aware they are helping create this addiction. "Doctors should be better educated to the addictive properties of these drugs," said Patricia Begin of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. "I have a feeling it's bigger than we imagine. I think there are a lot of people who are addicted," Linda said. Meanwhile, Linda plans to continue using her computer to expose Oxycontin abuse and to prevent any more tragedies linked to its use. .ca CTV.ca News Staff August 3, 2004 In the News... Painkiller OxyContin coming under scrutiny
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