OxyContin killed my son. This drug is handed out like candy. Every year families everywhere are suffering the loss of a loved one from accidental overdoses from this addictive drug. "The Arizona Republic" newspaper reported that Purdue Pharma L.P., the makers of OxyContin, have agreed to pay $19.5 million to 26 states and the District of Columbia to settle complaints over its promotion of OxyContin. The states complained that Purdue encouraged physicians to prescribe OxyContin for use every eight hours, rather than the 12-hour dose approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Off label marketing and other promotion tactics lead to abuse and diversion of prescription drugs. This drug is very addictive. If crushed and snorted, swallowed or injected the pills can produce a "Heroin" like high. The lawsuit also resolves allegations that Purdue Pharma failed to fully disclose the abuse risks of OxyContin.

I had already lost my 17-year-old son Josiah from being killed by a semi truck. His older brother Gabriel, 24 at the time, was in the car following the one Josiah was in. Gabriel rounded the corner of the highway and saw smoke and fire. He said his guts turned over inside him. There was the car his baby brother rode in smashed and on fire. His brother's friends were already dead. Gabriel held Josiah in his arms waiting for help. Josiah died in Gabriel's arms. Part of all of us died that day.

10 months later it was high school graduation time and Josiah wasn't here to graduate. They were honoring Josiah at the ceremony and invited the family to attend. Gabriel called me that evening and said he just could not endure the ceremony. I told him not to worry about it that the rest of the family could represent us and he told me he loved me.

The graduation was excruciating for us. Every student walked by this empty chair and laid a rose on the chair. The empty chair was my baby boy Josiah's. Oh God how it hurt. I was so thankful Gabe wasn't there to endure this.

When I had spoke to Gabriel earlier I never dreamed it would be the last time I ever heard my son's voice.

It was around five in the morning and my son Jared knocked on my bedroom door and said someone was here to see us and it was an emergency. There stood Jessie and Michael, two of our boys best friends. I knew it had to do with Gabriel because Jared was home with us, Josiah lived in Heaven and Adam was in Virginia at the time. I asked, "Is it Gabe?" Jessie just kept crying and saying he was so sorry. The room started spinning and Michael was telling me to breath. I finally screamed out, "Is Gabe dead?" Jessie nodded yes and again said, "I'm so sorry". I remember screaming, "your at the wrong house". What mother could ever imagine she'd go through this hell all over again?

One of Gabriel's best friends and roommate, Gerrad, had found Gabriel dead at their computer. He had taken OxyContin to help him forget his pain for a while. "OxyContin, I hate your guts".

I belong to an online support group for mothers that have lost a child called "Angel Moms". There are several moms that have lost their child to OxyContin. One of the moms, "Diana" wrote this about losing her son to OxyContin:

Oxycontin is a word I hate with all my heart and soul. I watched my son Travis go from a happy young man to a person he no longer wanted to be and one I didn't know. This drug was to be used for the terminally ill and some how down the road of medicine this purpose got lost and so have a lot of our young people. My son became addicted to it at the age of 23 and died from an overdose at the age of 26 on March 13, 2005. He aspirated in his sleep and his wife of 15 months found him beside her dead the next morning. Travis went through "detox" 2 times trying to get off of this drug but in the end it took his life and what I once knew as life it took also. I live a different life than the one I once knew, but when a Mom looses a child they loose a part of themselves that will never return until they are reunited with that child again. I watch the news and see just about every day something on it concerning the growing addiction to prescription pain pills and Oxycontin is the leader. This saddens my heart for I know if it isn't stopped there will be more Moms who will have to walk away from a grave and leave their child and their heart there as I did one rainy & cold morning. Diana

There are many families suffering from losses like Diana's and mine. If you know of one or your family is suffering, there are support groups to help. I've told you about "Angel Moms". You can find them at angelmoms.com. A nationwide support group for parents and grandparents is "Compassionate Friends". They have chapters all over the country. Just visit compassionatefriends.org. Both of these support groups have saved my life.

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my story. I have a website for women survivors that I created out of love in honor of my sons Gabriel and Josiah. If I can help stop one heart from aching I haven't worked in vain. www.joemama-survivor.com

"Some people only dream of angels, I held two in my arms"