Is OxyContin a sinner or a saint? The answer largely depends on whom you ask. For those who have lost loved ones to the lure of the euphoric OxyContin high, the drug is a menace that should be banned. However, there are just as many, if not more, chronic pain sufferers for whom OxyContin has been a godsend. The battle lines are clearly drawn, yet the fate of the drug is far from certain.

OxyContin is a powerful painkiller manufactured by Purdue Pharma. The drug's active ingredient is oxycodone hydrochloride, a synthetic chemical similar to morphine and heroin. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved OxyContin in 1996 and the drug has been a blockbuster for Purdue, generating over $1 billion in sales over the last five years.

Doctors who specialize in pain management say that OxyContin is often superior to competing pain medications because of the manner in which the drug is absorbed by the body. OxyContin's beneficial effects tend to last longer than other painkillers. As a result, the drug has allowed many otherwise homebound pain sufferers to lead a more normal life.

There is a dark side however. OxyContin can be very addictive, both to legitimate users and to black market abusers. The medication is highly prized by those seeking a quick and powerful high. Many such people visit medical facilities, feigning pain, in an attempt to win a prescription. Others more brazenly burglarize pharmacies from where OxyContin is distributed. Unfortunately, overdoses often lead to death. For instance, in Florida, a hotbed of OxyContin abuse, over 150 people died from OxyContin in the second half of 2000 alone. Such figures have many calling for tighter controls of the drug, or an outright ban.

Purdue Pharma is beginning to feel the heat of OxyContin critics. OxyContin's detractors accuse the company of over hyping the drug, in an effort to encourage doctors to liberally prescribe OxyContin. The company has responded, halting production and distribution of the 180 mg dose of OxyContin. However, Purdue continues to defend the safety and efficacy of OxyContin.