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Ten years ago, OxyContin sales dominated Philly’s pharmacies. How the powerful painkiller helped fuel a crisis.

Inquirer analysis of recently unsealed federal data shows a third of the region’s supply of the drug was likely abused

Purdue Pharma's strongest pill, OxyContin 80-mg, dominated Philadelphia pharmacies — that is, until the drug was replaced with one that was harder to crush and snort.
Purdue Pharma's strongest pill, OxyContin 80-mg, dominated Philadelphia pharmacies — that is, until the drug was replaced with one that was harder to crush and snort.Read moreStaff Illustration (custom credit)