Gawker: valleywag, oc-80

Did OC-80-addicted VCs fund this guy's startup?

Nicholas Carlson — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:40:05 EST

"Maybe things are different down south than in the city," writes commenter mercurius2, "but I've never run across oxycontin or talk of its use in the high tech world up here. Bong hits in the court yard, roof, hall closet, boss's office, elevator, under the front desk, cubicles after hours, boss's bedroom, that I might believe."

In 2006, 16 million Americans over the age...

Nicholas Carlson — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:10:59 EST

In 2006, 16 million Americans over the age of 12 illegally obtained and used prescription pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants or sedatives. That's up from 14 million in 2004. 1 in 20 high school seniors ~~are addicted to~~ use one such drug, OxyContin. This kind of drug abuse led to 600,000 emergency room visits in 2005. In 2002, there were already more deaths caused by opioid painkillers than heroin or cocaine. But don't worry, experts assure us that none of this is going on in Silicon Valley. [WSJ]

Does Yahoo have a drug problem?

Nicholas Carlson — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:20:01 EST

A tipster chimes in to tell us that Silicon Valley's OC-80 addiction took firm hold in one of its fastest-declining companies, Yahoo.

Right now I'm working a contract for a company and the last person i interviewed with — a former Yahoo employee — asked who I knew at Yahoo. I told him and he's like ohhhh yeah all the great times, i remember we'd do OC and other stuff in the bathrooms.

So. Well. Sniff. Do you, Yahoo?

Silicon Valley's favorite drug helped kill Heath Ledger

Nicholas Carlson — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:20:28 EST

Medical examiners have released results of Heath Ledger's toxicology report earlier today. The young star died of an accidental overdose — an "acute intoxication" — from the combined effects of hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, doxylamine and oxycodone. The latter is the active substance in Silicon Valley's drug of choice, OxyContin.

Pitching a VC? Bring the OC-80 or you're fired

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:00:12 EST

Back in December, we introduced you to OC-80, Silicon Valley's recreational drug of choice. It's the 80-mg. dose of OxyContin, the addictive painkiller which ensnared celebritards Rush Limbaugh and Lindsay Lohan. Silicon Valley's venture capitalists are just as susceptible to OC-80's euphoric draw. Which is their own private problem. Usually. But sometimes, as in the story told here, a founder's ability to supply an addicted VC with his fix can mean the difference between getting funded and laying off staff.

Recently, our source for this story — let's call him Joe Blow — lost his job. His company's founder explained why in an email, which we've paraphrased at his request:

Joe I am meeting with VC later this week. They are expecting me to bring OC-80. They're promising funding, no questions. I told these investors we can get them OC. But just a couple days before I meet with them, you tell me you can't get it. They were counting on it, Joe. We are not going to get funded. You are fired.

Mostly, Blow seems shocked we're shocked at his story. "I still can't believe you don't see this stuff everywhere. I guess it's a good thing. But jeez, I thought LA was bad. Till here."

(Photo by {dpade1337})

OC-80, the Valley's drug of choice

Owen Thomas — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:30:01 EST

Heard of OC-80? It's the Valley's next big drug, the strongest dose available of OxyContin — the same pain pills that got Rush Limbaugh hooked. A Valleywag informant who's a recovering OC-80 user himself says addicts are easy to spot: They're the ones who keep rushing to the front desk, asking if the FedEx deliveries have arrived yet. That's because the pills which get here are most frequently overnighted from L.A., where doctors are more willing to skirt the law and write prescriptions. It's expensive, and therefore deemed classy: People pay $70 a pill retail, $40 in bulk. Not that you're going to look especially swank while you scrape off the green coating, crush it, and snort it. Here's our tipster's tale of the real OC.

Why don't you publish more stories about the drug culture in the Valley? You do know that everyone who's anyone is on drugs. Mostly OC-80 pain killers, since they are the expensive $40/pill drug and much better than cocaine. Haven't you seen what goes on at parties? I don't know how to explain it as a previous addict (I haven't had pills in 6+ months), but you can spot everyone else like you a mile away, and even now my conversations turn to drugs.
I recently did contract work for a company and the last person I interviewed with and I knew a common person, suddenly we made a drug joke, and pretty soon we both were on the same page, it's like a secret club, and I got the contract.

You have no idea (or maybe you do) the amount of prescription painkillers flowing in Silicon Valley. If you think that Hollywood has drug problems, the Valley is way, way worse. It's just that people keep it much more secret.

I can't even remember all the times I've been at some of the top 10 companies in the valley snorting OC with somebody who's on the board of a big company. It's sad really, I don't know how to explain it. After having spent two years addicted to OC and spending $100k+ and being a well functioning addict, I feel sorry for people who are on pills. It just makes me crazy somedays to know that everyone says drugs are bad, but EVERYONE who runs the world is on them....

If what our tipster says is true, he's far from alone. Got a story? Send it in. Discretion assured.