Behind the headline: Hooked on prescription drugs

Health chiefs in England are worried. 

A BBC News report reveals that sleeping tablets, antidepressants and strong painkillers are used by around a quarter of the country’s adults each year. As of March 2018, stated the Public Health England report, half of those who were prescribed these substances had been taking them for at least 12 months. 

The fear, say health officials, is that addiction to these prescription drugs is on the rise. While they agree that these medications can drastically improve the quality of patients’ lives, they believe that the sheer numbers using them long-term signifies that dependency is on the up. 

So, why is this such a problem - and what can be done to combat it? 

Cansford says…

John Wicks, Cansford Labs co-founder, cites the situation in the US as a potential indicator of where the UK could be headed. Studies reveal that US prescription use of opioids - a group that includes drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl - increased three-fold between 1999 and 2014. With over 191m opioid prescriptions dispensed in the States in 2017 alone - and the number of deaths associated with these drugs soaring - it is hardly surprising that comparisons are being drawn in the UK.   

Benzodiazepines are another group of drugs that have a long history of overprescription. Studies also show that these drugs – which act as sedatives and anti-anxiety medication – have high levels of usage amongst older members of the population. 

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Overprescription of drugs such as opioids and benzodiazepines can easily lead to addiction. Should the prescription then be withdrawn abruptly, it can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms, causing individuals to struggle in carrying out even the simplest of day-to-day tasks. 

In such situations, some may turn to illegal sources to avoid going without. With such high demand, we should also be cautious with those who may have unused prescription drugs at home, with younger people in particular under immense peer pressure to take and/or distribute unused prescription medications where possible. 

It is unclear as to how many UK workers struggle with prescription drug addiction. The onus is on employers to do what they can to help their employees before a prescription becomes a problematic addiction. 

Standard workplace drug tests tend to cover illegal substances only. But should these be extended to include benzodiazepines, opioids and other addictive prescription drugs? Hair drug testing would likely be able to detect such substances when used repeatedly, with positive results (depending on the context) potentially indicating addiction, signalling possible behaviour changes, or highlighting an undeclared physical injury. Used as part of an employee wellbeing programme, such testing could enable employers to catch future problems before they escalate and help or encourage affected employees to obtain the help and support that they need. 

With prescriptions for addictive drugs on the rise in England, it is understandable - especially given the situation in the US - that health chiefs are worried. Until GPs are incentivised to cut down on long-term prescriptions of addictive medications, it’s up to those involved with the people affected to help to combat the problem, and to avoid the kind of crisis that the United States is experiencing. 

To find out how Cansford Labs can help you to implement a comprehensive workplace drug and alcohol testing programme underpinned by expert consultancy, get in touch. 

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