I’m not talking here about visits to Brixton, but about how people are acquiring medications without proper safeguards and with potentially dangerous consequences. Here are some of the methods employed
1. Go to your local doctor and simply ask nicely.
Last month the papers told us about a parliamentary inquiry which concludes that doctors are prescribing drugs such as analgesics, benzodiazepines and night sedation for much longer than they should and will sometimes renew repeat prescriptions without even seeing patients.
2. ‘Over the counter’
There is also concern about the availability of medicines in this way; some of them are actually quite potent and there are reports of people becoming ‘hooked’ on analgesics bought in this way. Apparently Neurofen Plus and Solpadeine are the worst in this regard, both contain codeine which is an opiate.
3. Buy them abroad, customs permitting.
Recently I went to Syria and was interested to note that drugs available on a prescription-only basis in the UK could be purchased from the pharmacist without a doctor’s involvement. Drugs available in this way included Clozapine, which can cause fatal side effects.
4. The Internet
A simple websearch reveals a number of websites happy to supply a wide variety of medications without prescription and available to ’ship worldwide’. This includes methylphenidate which is a restricted drug in the UK.
Please note that I do not advocate medicines acquisition by any other method than via a sensible discourse with your doctor.