Oxycontin contains oxycodone, but is ‘continuous release’, hence it’s name.

Basically, the reason you never hear of anyone getting hooked on oxycodone is because it is quite difficult to obtain in a pure form, due to the increased potential for abuse. Generally, a NSAID such as paracetamol or aspirin is added, so an overdose would also cause severe pain due to liver damage. Examples include percocet (oxycodone and paracetamol) and percodan (oxycodone and aspirin).

Also, oxycodone is generally sold under some sort of trade name, so you wouldn’t hear the word “oxycodone” used to refer to an addiction, just as someone with a Vicodan problem wouldn’t say they had a “hydrocodone” addiction.

Oxycodone is also the main ingridient in a handful of other pain medications – Percocet, Percodan, and Tylox.