If you have NO tolerance then even a 30mg pill will initially produce notable euphoria at the 1-3 hour mark (taken orally). Now a lot of people snort them which is downright stupid since first-pass metabolism converts about 10% of it to oxymorphone, an opioid x10 more potent (and which is responsible for half of oxycodone's subjective effects).
In short - I think researchers liked the idea of a drug that is LESS potent if consumed via parenteral routes. I keep on telling people that you get more out of just taking as prescribed rather than abusing.
But even when taken as prescribed, it does not last for 12 hours. That's why I actually had to pressure the pain clinic to prescribe my OC TID rather than BID. OK the high isn't so high - but I think that is a positive thing, On the other hand, my blood always contains at least 65% of the MAXIMUM plasma level (achieved at the 2 hour mark) so I don't get withdrawal.
Also snorting oxy is somehow not satisfying. After just a few hits of 60 or 90mg it's brittle and causes anxiety.
I'm stuck on oxycodone because I'm held together with significant amounts of surgical steel - one glance at an X-ray and doctors wonder how I walk. Well I do, not because oxycodone stops the pain, but instead of that sharp, takes-the-breathe-away pain it slows it down. Even so, I'm advised not to do to much and if I do the pain will just get worse... and while the UK doctor WILL give me 80mg/day the consultant was keen to point out:
a) It equates to 120mg of morphine a day
b) Higher doses don't really reduce pain more, they just zone the patient out.
I mean, I'm an old cripple with a long, long history of chronic pain and it STILL took 20 years for the medical profession to accept that it was the ONLY option. After all, it was that or live in a care home. I'm not THAT old and my wife obviously was NOT going to accept that.