[shilala]

Christian, Oxycontin is the pharmaceutical equivalent of heroin. That's why it's sought after. Like TRicker said, junkers snort it, but it delivers a better buzz when they boot it (inject it).
The scenario where problems occur runs something like this...
Drug seeker finds doctor.
Said drug seeker is taken into a "pain management contract" where he/she promises to only get pain meds from that doctor and will only get them at a specific pharmacy and agrees to be subject to random drug screens.
What generally happens is that the patient becomes emotionally and physically dependant on the drugs and manages to screw up their pain management contract in one way or another. They usually find another doctor so they can get more drugs because the dose that the doctor supplies is no longer adequate for their "needs" or they piss hot for some other drug and are thrown off the program.
Once they can no longer score the drugs, they hit the open market for heroin or oxy.

You know how you mentioned they really don't have much effect for you?
It's because opioids work not only on pain centers, they shut off the pain in the brain. A person with excruciating mental anquish will get a huge relief from opioids.
If you don't have a lot of problems and a troubled mind, they just make you sleepy and sick.
The fact that they ease a troubled mind is why they are so addictive and why people find they "need" more and more. As they get used to their initial dose, it becomes less and less effective for their emotional problems and they start "seeking", which means they're gathering more drugs to get the job done.
That's when they find themselves in a tough place because docs are very reluctant to increase dosages. It's easier for them to find another doc a couple towns over and get double the meds, or find a half dozen doctors who will fill their needs.
There's no real "network" in place for doctors or pharmacies to catch folks who are heavily addicted and get them help.
Even if they can, "help" seldom works for addicts.
It's a real tough racket.