Painkillers can be addictive in just 3 days.
September 07, 2009, Times of India Bangalore
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London: Popular painkillers, which are routinely used to ease headaches, back problems and period pain, can cause addiction in just three days, the UK governments drug watchdog has warned.
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The drugs, which contain codeine and include brand names such as Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine Plus, are taken by millions of people. However, official figures have shown that tens of thousands of people have become dependent on the drugs, many accidentally , with women most at risk of developing an addiction.
The drugs, which contain codeine and include brand names such as Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine Plus, are taken by millions of people. However, official figures have shown that tens of thousands of people have become dependent on the drugs, many accidentally , with women most at risk of developing an addiction.
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Growing concern about the spread of what experts describe as a hidden addiction , has led the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to announce a series of measures to counter the problem , reports the Telegraph.
The watchdog said that from next year all packets of the painkillers would carry a prominent label that read: Can cause addiction . For three days use only .
The pills will only be available in a maximum of 32 per packet without a prescription, instead of up to 100, and warnings will be repeated on leaflets inside.
Advertising will no longer state that the drugs are remedies for ailments such as coughs and colds; only that they can relieve acute and moderate pain.
The move follows a report in July by MPs on the all-party parliamentary group on drug misuse which highlighted the danger of the drugs. Official estimates state that 32,000 people are addicted to the painkillers but the MPs said that this was just the tip of the iceberg .
The drugs are particularly easy to abuse because they are available without a prescription, said experts. All contain codeine , an opiate related to heroin and morphine. After enjoying initial relief from pain, patients can find themselves taking pills in increasing numbers to gain the same effect.
There are examples of addicts taking up to 70 pills a day, putting them at risk of seriously damaging their health with complications such as stomach bleeding, liver problems, gallstones and depression. Users of codeine have said withdrawal symptoms include sweating, irritability, and nausea. AGENCIES
Growing concern about the spread of what experts describe as a hidden addiction , has led the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to announce a series of measures to counter the problem , reports the Telegraph.
The watchdog said that from next year all packets of the painkillers would carry a prominent label that read: Can cause addiction . For three days use only .
The pills will only be available in a maximum of 32 per packet without a prescription, instead of up to 100, and warnings will be repeated on leaflets inside.
Advertising will no longer state that the drugs are remedies for ailments such as coughs and colds; only that they can relieve acute and moderate pain.
The move follows a report in July by MPs on the all-party parliamentary group on drug misuse which highlighted the danger of the drugs. Official estimates state that 32,000 people are addicted to the painkillers but the MPs said that this was just the tip of the iceberg .
The drugs are particularly easy to abuse because they are available without a prescription, said experts. All contain codeine , an opiate related to heroin and morphine. After enjoying initial relief from pain, patients can find themselves taking pills in increasing numbers to gain the same effect.
There are examples of addicts taking up to 70 pills a day, putting them at risk of seriously damaging their health with complications such as stomach bleeding, liver problems, gallstones and depression. Users of codeine have said withdrawal symptoms include sweating, irritability, and nausea. AGENCIES
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