If you or a loved one has suffered the hell of Hydrocodone addiction I’m sure the origins of the drug would be of interest. With prescription drug addiction at an all time high, celebrities falling left and right and ongoing investigations with possible manslaughter charges pending it shouldn’t be surprising the high probability of hydrocodone addiction, overdose and death have been known since its inception.

Unfortunately even with the likes of Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, Brittany Murphy and the Johnson and Johnson heiress Casey Johnson dying from prescription drug addiction restulting in overdose and death, responsibility is yet to be taken as there is lots of money yet to be made. Although the latter two celebrity causes of death have yet to be finalized sources close the deceased highly suspect prescription drug overdose as the cause.

It’s ironic the Johnson and Johnson heiress died of a prescription drug overdose as about one year ago PriCara, a division of Johnson & Johnson, had recalled two lots of Duragesic, a chronic pain medication delivered through the skin using an adhesive patch. It was reported the patches were defective with tears in the area containing the opiate pain killer and killer fetynal. Like other opiates such have hydrocodone, fentanyl has high probability of addiction and overdose. Information about pending lawsuits can be seen at

Hydrocodone was first developed in the 1920's by the German pharmaceutical company Knoll. Hydrocodone is created by attaching a hydrogen atom to codeine molecules. When Hydrocodone was first released, Knoll believed that this process would make the codeine easier on the stomach and less toxic to the user. Hydrocodone addiction was a concern however officials opted to take the lesser of two evils or simply ignore the warnings for profit.

At the time opiate addiction was a mounting problem for officials across the US. Tens of thousands of people were becoming addicted to the opiate ingredients found in the most popular cough syrups of the day. At the end of the 1920's the U.S. Bureau of Social Hygiene funded a study by the National Research Council to examine hydrocodone and other drug compounds as alternative, less-addictive painkillers.

Dr Nathan Eddy, a well known pharmacologist with the University of Michigan headed up the study. He studied the safety and effects of several drugs such as morphine, codeine, and the newly developed hydrocodone.

After a series of ethically-questionable tests on cats to determine the "analgesic" effect of the drugs, Eddy found hydrocodone was one of the most effective drugs in the study in terms of pain killing effectiveness and the predictably of its side effects. There was however, a problem with hydrocodone as the drug created a tremendous euphoric effect in the animals studied. Dr Eddy felt hydrocodone was powerful and had a terrifically high potential for addiction. He went on to report individuals could suffer hydrocodone addiction without realizing it.

Dr Eddy’s warnings about hydrocodone addiction went unheeded a hydrocodone has become a hit across the country and responsible for countless overdoses and deaths.

The current state of hydrocodone follows suit as on March 11th of 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory concerning the safety of UCB’s Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension, a prescription cough medicine containing hydrocodone and the antihistamine chlorpheniramine.

The FDA noted two specific issues. First, the cough medicine was being improperly prescribed for children under age six. Children this young have a particular susceptibility to respiratory depression, a life-threatening condition brought on by hydrocodone overdose, and therefore use of a product such as Tussionex is contraindicated. The FDA has received reports of death in patients less than six years old due to respiratory depression.

Secondly, the FDA found that Tussionex has been prescribed more frequently than the labeled dosing interval of every 12 hours. In addition, misinterpretation of dosing directions and patient use of inappropriate measuring devices has led to excessive dosing of the product. Life-threatening breathing problems and death have been associated with hydrocodone overdose in older children, adolescents, and adults.

Some symptoms of hydrocodone overdose include:
• trouble breathing
• slow or shallow breathing
• slow heartbeat
• severe sleepiness
• cold, clammy skin
• trouble walking or talking
• feeling faint, dizzy, or confused.

The side effects of Hydrocodone should indicate the toxicity level thereby indicating a high probability of Hydrocodone addiction and the need for treatment if hydrocodone abuse occurs.