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Background: There is concern across the United States about opioid abuse. The media have focused on OxyContin, a continuous-release oxycodone formulation. However, there is a need to define and understand the extent of opioid abuse, specifically OxyContin. We hypothesized that calls to poison centers (PCs) represent one indicator of misuse and abuse. Methods: We searched for all exposure and information calls related to four opioids (oxycodone--excluding OxyContin, hydrocodone, morphine, and fentanyl) and compared them to OxyContin calls at two PCs (A and B), one urban and one combined rural and urban, for 2001. Results: Call rates for these opioids per 100,000 population are given in the table. There are differences in call type rates between the geographic areas. Furthermore, the information and exposure calls for Center A have increased for all of the opioids over the past two years. Conclusions: The rates of oxycodone calls are 3- to 5-fold greater than the other opioids. Calls about OxyContin constitute 7 to 10% of all opioid information calls and 20 to 25% of all opioid exposure calls. Information Call Rates OxyContin Oxycodone Hydrocodone Center A 2.23 15.30 2.69 Center B 3.30 29.09 5.28 Exposure Call Rates OxyContin Oxycodone Hydrocodone Center A 1.67 4.70 1.23 Center B 0.40 0.63 0.29 Information Call Rates Morphine Fentanyl Center A 1.99 0.08 Center B 8.26 0.37 Exposure Call Rates Morphine Fentanyl Center A 0.76 0.20 Center B 0.18 0.11 Abstract 137. Hughes AA, Bogdan GM, Bond R, Dart RC. Rocky Mountain Poison Center, Denver Health, Denver, CO. Cincinnati Drug & Poison Information Center, Cincinnati, OH, Hughes AA, Bogdan GM, Bond R, Dart RC. Rocky Mountain Poison Center, Denver Health, Denver, CO. Cincinnati Drug & Poison Information Center, Cincinnati, [...]