In 2009, “Vanguard” correspondent Mariana van Zeller traveled to Broward County, Florida to investigate the rise of pain medication trafficking in “The OxyContin Express.” Florida regulations and medical record-keeping have been just ambiguous enough to allow a market for the sale of oxycodone to flourish. Many Florida residents have developed a system for “doctor shopping” in order to find the quickest way to fill OxyContin prescriptions, but it doesn’t stop at the state line. Mariana discovered that people come to Florida from all over the country to buy pills for themselves or to traffic them in other cities.
Now, further investigation has taken Mariana to Massachusetts. Charlestown was once known as a place where bank robbers were common (now fictionalized in 2010′s “The Town”). Many of the people once involved in grand theft have since turned to a more lucrative endeavor: drugs.
The underground market for pain medication continues to rise, and the potential for steady sales has only increased as many addicts also turn to heroin, the high for which has deemed similar to Oxy.
Once addicted to pain medication, Massachusetts inhabitants find it’s easy to quickly develop a police record trying to support their habit.
Even small, established business sometimes turn to dealing in order to make extra money.
Tune in Monday, June 20 for the premiere of “Gateway to Heroin.” Find out everything Mariana van Zeller learns about the connection between OxyContin and heroin, the people who deal both, and what happens to the individuals and families addiction consumes.
For more information, visit http://current.com/vanguard
