Oxycodone is a prescription drug that acts as a depressant of the central nervous system. It is a narcotic, much like Vicodin and morphine and is used to treat moderate to severe pain like that caused by fractures, arthritis, childbirth and serious diseases like Cancer

Going by such brand names as Percocet, OxyContin, Tylox and Percodan, oxycodone is an opiate that is highly addictive and is being abused by many. When taken repeatedly, one can become tolerant to the drug, therefore requiring higher doses to experience the same effects. Oxycodone is often mistakenly referred to as oxycotton. While OxyContin is a brand name of the drug, oxycotton is just a misspelling of the name. This drug is also referred to as oxy and hillbilly heroin on the street.

Oxycodone Side Effects

Oxycodone is very addictive and is often abused by individuals who begin taking the drug as a part of a prescription but spiral out of control into actually abusing it. As their tolerance increases, they require a higher and higher oxycodone dosage to achieve the same effects, such as euphoria, pain relief and the prevention of withdrawal symptoms.

When taken as prescribed, oxycodone can cause several side effects including constipation, headache, nausea, excessive sweating and dry mouth. An oxycodone overdose can cause severe symptoms including seizures, coma, dizziness, clammy skin and slowed breathing.

Oxycodone Abuse

Abusers of oxycodone may either take it in its original pill form or crush it into a powder to be snorted. The drug can also be melted in water and injected. Because the drug is meant to act as a time-released pain reliever, when crushed or injected oxycodone causes an intense high that involves feelings of euphoria. This is how abusers experience an oxycodone overdose, due to the large amount of the substance being released into their system at once, rather than slowly released over time in the oxycodone pill form.

Signs of Oxycodone Addiction

If a person’s use of oxycodone is radically different from their prescription or doctor’s recommendations, or is taken without a prescription, they may be addicted to the drug. Oxycodone abuse can be seen in those who have developed a dependence on the drug and will continue to take it despite negative consequences. Their bodies go through withdrawal when the intake of the drug is ceased. Withdrawal symptoms are quite obvious and include anxiety, diarrhea, nausea, muscle cramping, especially in the legs, and restlessness.

How To Test For Oxycodone Abuse

There are many different types of drug tests available that detect oxycodone. When searching for one, look for those that test for opiate abuse. Also look for drug tests that test for another opiate, hydrocodone. This substance can be found in drugs such as Vicodin and produces much of the same affects as oxycodone. Drug testing kits come in several types including oxycodone urine tests, saliva tests and hair tests.

Employers, in particular, are often concerned with drug testing and how to go about administering it, yet don’t know where to turn. Liability rests on the shoulders of the employer, making drug abuse of utmost concern. While abusing oxycodone can decrease a person’s ability to make sound judgments and decisions, the abuse of any drug in the workplace can potentially lead to disastrous results. This is why employers often opt to start an employee drug testing program.

Parents, too are worried about drug use in their homes. Teenage drug abuse of substances such as oxycodone is a serious matter. Even the slightest suspicion of teen drug use, and a drug test should be administered.

What is PCP, exactly? While developed during the 50s to be used as anesthesia, phencyclidine, or PCP, has never made it to the market for human use. Due to the erratic side effects, it was deemed illegal. Now going by such street names as angel dust, rocket fuel, and wack, PCP is sold as an illicit substance, and a very dangerous one at that.

Effects of PCP

People who use PCP experience different sensations. Most commonly, users experience a disassociation of time and space from where and when they are at the current moment. While high on PCP, a person may feel weightless, euphoric or even experience hallucinations. Many times, abusers of this drug suddenly feel paranoid due to disturbing hallucinations.

While people use PCP to get high, they often do not expect the severe side effects that can come along with it. For instance, a bad reaction to angel dust could include seizures, violent aggressiveness and even death.

PCP Abuse

PCP can be used in many ways, including swallowing the drug in pill or capsule form, or drinking a liquid. The PCP drug can also be taken through injection or by snorting it in powder form. PCP is also combined with other drugs to create even more dangerous substances, one of which is called killer weed which is a marijuana joint laced with PCP. The process of adding PCP to another drug is called dusting.

Signs of PCP Abuse

While many of the effects of PCP are only noticeable to the user of the illicit substance, there are many indications that can make someone high on PCP fairly obvious, such as slurred speech, involuntary movement of the eyes, dizziness, amnesia and many of the symptoms of schizophrenia. In fact, some people who experience adverse reactions to PCP can become psychotic to the point where their symptoms are identical to those of schizophrenia.

How to Test For PCP Abuse

Drug testing can be used to detect the abuse of PCP. While many people are opposed to drug testing because they feel it imposes upon individual rights, the fact of the matter is that drug abuse causes major problems in American society. Whether it be in the workplace or on the home front, PCP drug abuse can wreck lives, destroy companies and even kill. To prevent these atrocities from happening, PCP drug tests can be used to answer your questions about are they or arent they? and take the first step in the right direction toward rehabilitation.
Employers especially need to consider PCP drug testing. Drug use in the workplace creates an unsafe environment for both employer and employee. Accidents are more likely to happen, more sick days are taken and the costs to the company are innumerable. By creating a drug testing program to detect illicit substances such as PCP, the workplace can be a much safer place, and will live up to its full potential.

PCP use is cause for concern the family as well. If you suspect drug abuse in your home, especially that of angel dust, purchasing a drug testing kit may be the best option for you. That lingering suspicion of whether or not your child is using can be troublesome. Testing your teen for PCP now, can help ease your worries and set them on the right track for lifeone without the interference of drugs.

Smoking is a health hazard, to both those who smoke and those who are exposed to secondhand fumes. Due to this hazard, many companies have begun to test their employees for nicotine via nicotine drug tests. Nicotine tests help employers and insurance companies alike evaluate a persons health more accurately, often times resulting in increased costs to the smoker.

Nicotine Testing for Insurance

Nowadays, many insurance companies require a full physical before accepting an individual onto one of their coverage plans. While this certainly holds true for health insurance, it is even more prevalent in the realm of life insurance policies. Life insurance companies require applicants to undergo an insurance company test for smoking. This is typically performed through blood testing for nicotine or a nicotine urine test. Should an individual be found to have nicotine in their system, they will be required to pay a higher insurance premium. Quite simply, smoking puts your health at risk, and insurance companies are not willing to take that risk without first, a tobacco test and second, higher monetary compensation.

Employer Nicotine Testing

While an employer cannot discriminate against employees who smoke, they can certainly screen their workers for nicotine use. These tobacco tests help companies decide how much their employees are required to pay for health insurance coverage. The thought behind this practice is that it would not be fair for a non-smoker and a smoker to pay the same premiums.

Nicotine Tobacco Testing

Nicotine drug testing can be carried out in several ways, the most popular of which are nicotine urine testing and blood testing. A great tobacco test kit can be found at TestCountry. This home nicotine test kit is a urine test that detects both nicotine and cotinine in a sample of urine taken from a donor. Nicotine urine testing can be done at home, in the office or during an insurance mandated physical. Results appear quickly and these nicotine tests are laboratory accurate.

Oftentimes, parents are concerned about whether or not their teenagers are smoking cigarettes. But with a tobacco test kit, the answers to your most pressing question will be answered. Nicotine addiction is very real. The sooner you find out if your teen is smoking, the sooner you can help your child overcome their nicotine addiction.

Insurance companies can potentially save money by enforcing insurance company test for smoking. These nicotine drug tests help insurance companies adjust their premiums to be fairer for non-smokers, as it is not fair for non-smokers and smokers to pay the same rates.

Employers also benefit from tobacco use detection tests and can save money when they buy health insurance for employees. Using nicotine urine testing is easy and effective and helps employers decide on fair insurance payment rates for their workers.