Cheap Hydrocodone is an orally active analgesic and antitussive Schedule II narcotic that is marketed in multi-ingredient Schedule III products. Cheap Hydrocodone has an analgesic potency similar to or greater than that of oral morphine. Sales and production of this drug have increased significantly in recent years (a four-fold increase between 1990 and 2000), as have diversion and illicit use. Trade names include Anexsia®, Hycodan®, Hycomine®, Lorcet®, Lortab®, Tussionex®, Tylox®, Vicodin®, and Vicoprofen®. These are available as tablets, capsules, and/or syrups. Generally; this drug is abused by oral rather than intravenous administration. Currently, about 20 tons of cheap hydrocodone products are used annually in the United States.

Cheap Hydrocodone abuse has been escalating over the last decade. There has been large scale diversion of hydrocodone. For example, an estimated 7 million dosage units were diverted in 1994 and over 11 million in 1997. In 1998 there were over 56 million new prescriptions written for cheap hydrocodone products and by 2000 there were over 89 million. From 1990 the average consumption nationwide has increased by 300%. In the same period there has been a 500% increase in the number of Emergency Department visits attributed to cheap hydrocodone abuse with 19,221 visits estimated in 2000. In 1997, there were over 1.3 million cheap hydrocodone tablets seized and analyzed by the DEA laboratory system. A recent petition submitted to the DEA has requested a review of the control status of all cheap hydrocodone-containing products.