PRESCRIPTION drug addiction in Britain is so widespread that more people are dying from overdoses of strong painkillers and tranquillisers than from misuse of heroin and cocaine.
A Sunday Times investigation has found the number of deaths involving tranquillisers and strong painkillers has increased by 16% in the past five years.
The drugs were involved in 807 deaths last year and have overtaken the number killed by heroin and cocaine, which was 718 in 2012.
Critics blame doctors for over-prescribing the drugs and a lack of support for addicts. They say Britain is at risk of following America, which is in the grip of a painkiller prescription epidemic with more than 16,000 a year dying from overdoses.
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Health/article1311141.ece?CMP=SOC-appshare-iphonetto-tw-ios-1.5
A Sunday Times investigation has found the number of deaths involving tranquillisers and strong painkillers has increased by 16% in the past five years.
The drugs were involved in 807 deaths last year and have overtaken the number killed by heroin and cocaine, which was 718 in 2012.
Critics blame doctors for over-prescribing the drugs and a lack of support for addicts. They say Britain is at risk of following America, which is in the grip of a painkiller prescription epidemic with more than 16,000 a year dying from overdoses.
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Health/article1311141.ece?CMP=SOC-appshare-iphonetto-tw-ios-1.5
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