Dope Sick: Stories of Prescription Drug Abuse

CBC Radio One's On The Coast explored how a growing prescription drug addiction problem is affecting British Columbians this week in a special series called Dope Sick.

Here are some of the frank and open perspectives we covered in our series on CBC Radio One. Click on the player to listen.

Monday

Vancouver rapper Madchild tells his story about how he was severely addicted to OxyContin addiction, how it spiralled out of control and changed him forever.

Tuesday

An addictions physician and the director of a recovery centre come together to paint a stark picture of the scope of the prescription drug addiction problem in BC.

Wednesday

One year after losing her son to a prescription drug overdose in Chilliwack, a mother shares her painful story.

Wednesday

A feature story abouta young honour roll student from North Vancouver, who explains how experimenting with codeine cough syrup led to injecting heroin in the Downtown Eastside.

Thursday

A nurse from the Lower Mainland admits abusing the healthcare system to support an opioid addiction - and along the way he loses his license to practice nursing.

Friday

Vancouver Coastal Health's Medical Director for Addictions Services and the Deputy Registrar with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. talk to host Stephen Quinn about solutions and ways to address the prescription drug addiction problem.

This special series was produced in part by Nick Eagland, a recipient of the Langara Journalism Read-Mercer Fellowship.

Tune in to On The Coast's Stephen Quinn on CBC Radio One at 3:00 p.m. 88.1 FM/690 AM in Metro Vancouver.