Tech & Science dictionary
Roxicodone
or Roxycodone or Roxy [rok-see-koh-dohn]
What does Roxicodone mean?
Roxicodone, commonly misspelled Roxycodone, is a brand of oxycodone, a strong, prescription painkiller that has earned a reputation for widespread abuse.
Where does Roxicodone come from?
Oxycodone was invented in 1916 with the intent of creating a non-addictive substitute for heroin, which had been banned in the US. It was released into the US market in 1939.
Though it was initially touted as a safer, semisynthetic painkiller, it soon became clear that patients were just as susceptible to addiction with oxycodone as they had been with heroin. As a result, oxycodone was classified in 1970 a Schedule II narcotic, meaning it is dangerously habit-forming and presents risk of abuse.
The brand name Roxicodone was trademarked in 2002 by Elan Pharma International Ltd. Since then, it has become one of the most widespread drugs contributing to the US opioid crisis starting in the late 1990s.
Examples of Roxicodone
Who uses Roxicodone?
Outside of medical and scientific contexts, Roxicodone is most often used in reference to the opioid crisis, calling to mind pill mills and prescription drug abuse.
Google searches for Roxicodone and Roxycodone spike upon news stories about major arrests connected with the drug, such as in October, 2010 when The Washington Post reported: “Senior U.S. District Judge Jack T. Camp was arrested Friday minutes after he handed an undercover law enforcement agent $160 for cocaine and Roxycodone.”
Roxicodone is often abbreviated to roxy in informal speech, especially in hip-hop lyrics and on social media. When referring to the drug just as roxy, speakers are most likely using it as a generic term for any opioid taken recreationally.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of Roxicodone like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Roxicodone that will help our users expand their word mastery.