The abuse of prescription drugs is growing at an alarming rate around the world. According to the United Nations global drugs watchdog organization, more people are abusing legal drugs than heroin, cocaine and ecstasy combined.
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) also highlighted a rise in the use of "date rape drugs." The rise is attributed to sexual abusers trying to circumvent stronger controls with substances not banned by international drug laws. In the United States, the abuse of prescription drugs "is now the second most important drug abuse issue after cannabis," with 6.2 million people struggling with an addiction in 2008.
"Abuse of such drugs has been spreading over the world in recent years," said Hamid Ghodse, director of the International Center for Drug Policy at St. George’s University in London and one of the authors of the report. Ghodse said it was tough to get comprehensive information on prescription drug abuse worldwide. In Germany, for example, an estimated 1.4 to 1.9 million people were addicted to prescription drugs. In Canada, an estimated 1 to 3 percent of the population abuses prescription opioids. In several European countries – such as France, Italy, Lithuania and Poland – between 10 and 18 percent of students use sedatives or tranquilizers without a prescription.
A major supply source is the illegal pharmacies that are available on the internet. The INCB report urged governments to closely monitor these web pharmacies or shut them down completely. The INCB said it also wanted to raise awareness about drugs like ketamine and gamma-Butyrolcatone (GBL) becoming popular with abusers. These drugs are not controlled by law and are replacing Rohypnol – the "date rape drug."
Ghodse said that stricter governmental controls and oversight by the drug industry has helped curb use of Rohypnol. The problem, however, is that newer drugs are easier to obtain and abuse.
