Demand for Drug Rehab High Among Blue-Collar & Elderly

Pittsburgh - The number of Oxycontin addicts is still so great that demand for drug treatment & rehab centers hasn't diminished.

"We're not seeing a decline in the rate of admissions," said Dr. Neil Capretto, a Vandergrift native who is clinical director of the Gateway Rehabilitation Center.
Many drugs are being abused, but of particular interest to the area is the powerful pain-killer OxyContin.

Part of the reason may be the demographics of the region. There are large numbers of elderly people and blue-collar workers, he said.

Older people tend to have more medical problems ranging from arthritis to cancer and doctors prescribe OxyContin, Capretto said. The pills, meant to manage pain, are getting into the hands of others and ultimately causing pain...and death.