Web Site Redesign

Hello folks! We are currently undergoing major construction. Within the next few months we will be performing virtual-surgery on That's Poppycock!, trying to create a more interactive environment while improving functionality and navigation. If you navigate throughout the site, you'll notice that only the index page has been facelifted. We are in the process of creating a system in which it will be easier to add more information about opiates and opioids, enabling us to better serve you - for free.

As always, please contact me personally if you have any suggestions for the site. If on the other hand you have no suggestions and you love the new site design idea, we still want to hear it! Thank you for your loyalty to our site, and we hope to have a long future here on the web.

Updates

• 11/17/08 - Pill Imprint Search Engine in Beta Testing! - Our pill imprint search engine is currently in the beta stage of testing. Our goal is to have this 100% completed within the next 30 days. We will, of course, be constantly improving the code, functionality, and vastness of information on this pill imprint search engine as time passes. Please try our Pill Imprint Search Engine and let us know what you think! (Note: There are only four imprints currently listed. More will be added each day as we finalize the structure and code.)

• 11/13/08 - New Page! - Library > Opioid Drug Testing > Urinalysis Detection Periods Chart

  In other news, we are making great progress on the pill imprint search feature. We still haven't decided on a name yet, so if anyone has any ideas please send them over! Thanks and have a wonderful night!

• 11/11/08 - What do you think? Today we changed around the look, layout, and feel of one of our pill imprint guide pages—buprenorphine pill imprints. Please take some time out of your day to give us your feedback. We appreciate all we can get, and this way you can have a say in how this site turns out. Thanks and have a great night!

• 11/10/08 - New Page! - Library > Statistics > Nonmedical Use of Pain Relievers by State

  In other news, we updated the Opioid Dosage Conversion page, removed all broken links, and rewrote all descriptions as well as the disclaimer. The page name changed too, so don't forget to update your Favorites with the new URL.

• 11/9/08 - Today we revamped the Opioid Receptor Activity Chart, making it more accessible. We also took a look at TPC's Mission Statement, and did some major revisions. Our core values are the same, but we added some more details on exactly what we want to accomplish.

• 11/6/08 - Began work on new pill imprint search tool. This is a big undertaking for us, but we think it will help people find what they need in an easier, more efficient way. We also updated the Links page, which can be found under the About tab.

A Short Introduction to Opioids

Back in the day — old-school opium use. Some sources say that the first reference to opium was in the 3rd century B.C.E. in the writings of Theophrastus. Others claim it is found in Hesiod, an 8th century B.C.E. Greek poet who claims there was a city named Mekonê, which roughly translates to "Poppy-town," near Corinth. The word opium is derived from the Greek word opion, which translates to "poppy juice" or "juice of a plant."^[1] Today, pharmaceutical companies use alkaloids from Papaver somniferum, the poppy plant, to derive opioids. Opioids, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and heroin, are semi-synthetic drugs derived from the poppy plant.

Medical and non-medical use. Opiates have many different applications in the medical world. They are used to treat diarrhea, moderate to severe pain, severe cough, and sometimes treatment-resistant depression. Non-medical use of prescription painkillers has been on the rise according to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which stated 4.4 million Americans were current users at the time of the survey. Many people use painkillers non-medically for the euphoria and sedation that opiates provide; even so, both legitimate and illegitimate use of narcotic painkillers can result in physical and mental addiction. Many people, old and young, claim defeating opiate addiction was the hardest thing they ever did.

It's not just the flu. Just the fear of withdrawal from opiates is enough to keep an addict from quitting. Once a person has become physically dependent on opiates, withdrawal is unavoidable. Withdrawal symptoms can include chills, vomiting, fever, insomnia, deep depression, yawning, restless arms and legs, and everyone's favorite, diarrhea. For short-acting opiates, acute withdrawal is over in about 72 hours. Longer-acting opioids, such as methadone and buprenorphine, can cause a withdrawal syndrome that lasts a few weeks. On top of acute withdrawal, some users will experience post-acute withdrawal syndrome, PAWS for short. This can mean extended depression, muscle aches, and insomnia.

Treatment. Luckily there are treatment options available for narcotics addicts. There are two maintenance therapies available: (1) methadone and (2) buprenorphine. For some, this will be a life-long ordeal; others taper their maintenance drug and stop taking narcotics altogether. It is very hard to quit opiates, therefore the relapse rate is very high. Other options include in-patient detoxification, and outpatient detoxification. Outpatient services have a higher incidence of patients who still take their drug of choice while enrolled. Attending Narcotics Anonymous or a psychologist specializing in addiction can help integrate the former user back into sober life.

One fact remains through all of this: a person won't quit until they really want to. Sadly, sometimes this only comes after that person has lost everything.