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Tiger Woods allegedly had hydrocodone at time of crash. What is it?
Tiger Woods allegedly had hydrocodone on him at the time of his latest headline-making car crash. But what exactly is it?
Hydrocodone is a potent opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain. The affidavit of the incident, obtained by USA TODAY, also included observations by an arresting officer that Woods' eyes were "bloodshot and glassy" as he performed a variety of field sobriety tests. A sheriff's deputy found two small white pills in Woods' pants pocket, which were later identified as hydrocodone.
Here's what to know about the medication, a powerful painkiller that belongs to a group of medicines called opioid analgesics.
How does hydrocodone affect the body?
Hydrocodone β frequently prescribed under the brand name Vicodin β is commonly used in opioid-tolerant patients to treat around-the-clock pain, per the Mayo Clinic. "It should not be used to treat pain that you only have once in a while or 'as needed,'" the Mayo Clinic adds.
The most common side effects are dizziness and lightheadedness. Other possible side effects of hydrocodone, per MedlinePlus, include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, increased sweating, decreased sexual desire and the inability to get or keep an erection.
Patients are routinely advised to avoid driving a vehicle or operating dangerous machinery if they are unsure how the medication will affect them.
The Drug Recognition Expert on the scene of Woods' crash believed Woodsβ impairment stemmed from "some kind of medication or drug," according to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek. While a breath test showed that Woods was not under the influence of alcohol, he refused a urinalysis test and was charged with a misdemeanor.
What are the signs of hydrocodone abuse?
According to the Mayo Clinic, hydrocodone "may become habit-forming, causing mental and physical dependence" if used for a long time. TheΒ National Survey on Drug Use and HealthΒ indicated that in 2024, 3.4 million individuals in the United States aged 12 or older reported misusing hydrocodone in the previous year.
Roaring Brook Recovery, an addiction treatment center in Kentucky, offers the following guidance to see if you're developing an addiction to hydrocodone:
- Continuing to use the substance despite negative consequences in your life
- Cravings to use the substance
- Developing a tolerance to a substance and needing to use larger and larger doses to achieve the same effect
- Inability to cut down use of a substance despite attempts to do so
- Neglecting responsibilities and relationships due to substance use
What's the latest on Tiger Woods?
Woods, 50,Β was charged with DUIΒ and failure to submit to a DUI test following the two-vehicle crash on Jupiter Island in Florida, where he has a home.
Woods told police that he was looking down at his cell phone and changing the radio station beforeΒ a March 27 traffic crashΒ that resulted in his SUV flipping on its side.
Tiger Woods had painkillers, 'sweating profusely' after crash: officials
Neither Woods nor the driver of the other vehicle was injured in the crash.
Woods was taken into custody following the accident and was released at 11:11 p.m.Β on $1,150 bail later that night, aΒ Martin County jail official told the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Contributing: Steve Gardner, Josh Peter, Chris Bumbaca, Brent Schrotenboer and James H. Williams
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tiger Woods allegedly had hydrocodone at time of crash. What is it?
