Popular painkiller hydrocodone is now a Schedule II controlled substance
In an effort to get a highly addictive painkiller off the streets, New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman alerted doctors and pharmacists on Wednesday that hydrocodone – called “hydro,” “tabs” or “itchies” by young users — is now a Schedule II controlled substance under New York State law.
Going into effect this week, the designation subjects all forms of hydrocodone to a variety of stricter controls, including a prohibition on automatic refills. Previously, hydrocodone was classified under the less-restrictive Schedule III, meant for drugs less likely to be abused.
In 2010, more than 787,000 hydrocodone prescriptions were filled in New York City alone.