All Party Parliamentary Group on Drugs Misuse:

Inquiry into the Misuse of Prescription and Over the Counter Drugs

Call for Evidence

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuse, chaired by Dr Brian Iddon MP, is launching an inquiry to determine the scale and nature of the misuse of prescription-only medicines and over-the-counter medicines in the UK. The inquiry will be facilitated by DrugScope, which provides secretariat support to the All Party Group on Drug Misuse.

Call for evidence

This inquiry invites evidence on the scale and nature of the misuse of prescription-only medicines (POM) and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in the UK.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuse (henceforth ‘the APPGDM’) is keen to include in its consideration any POM/OTC substances that have either a dependency potential and/or a potential to be used recreationally. The APPGDM is keen from organisations who work in this area and also from individuals who have personal experience of addiction to POM or OTC medication.

(The APPGDM defines “misuse” of POM/OTC substances as either dependent use or recreational use).

In particular, the APPGDM invites evidence in answer to the following questions:

Defining the problem

What is the current scale of the misuse of POM/OTC substances in the UK?
How many people are currently dependent on POM/OTC substances?
How many people currently use POM/OTC substances in a recreational manner?
What are the major drugs of misuse in POM/OTC substances?

What is the current level of public awareness of the problem of POM/OTC substance misuse?
What are the physical, social, psychological and economic harms of POM/OTC drug misuse?
What relationship does the misuse of POM/OTC drug misuse have to the misuse of illicit drugs?
Has there been sufficient research into the scale and nature of POM/OTC drug misuse?

Tackling the problem

What can and should be done to tackle the problem of dependent use of POM/OTC substances?
What can and should be done to tackle the problem of recreational use of POM/OTC substances?
What can and should be done to improve the current level of public awareness of the potential for misuse of POM/OTC substances?
Who should take responsibility for tackling misuse of POM/OTC substances?
Are there sufficient sources of help and support for people experiencing a problem with the misuse of POM/OTC substances?

Other information

What is the role of the internet in the supply of POM/OTC substances intended for misuse?
Please submit any other evidence that you feel is relevant to the terms of this inquiry. The APPGDM is particularly keen to hear from individuals who have been affected by prescription-only and over-the-counter drug misuse.

Form of evidence

Please submit evidence to the APPGDM either in writing or electronically (in Word format). Please ensure that you include a contact name, telephone number and postal address and make it clear whom the submission is from.

Postal Address: Dr Brian Iddon MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA

Email: reayg@parliament.uk

For further information please contact either:

Ruth Goldsmith, Secretary to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drugs Misuse, ruthg@drugscope.org.uk or 0870 774 3683 / 07736 895563

Gemma Reay, Parliamentary Assistant to Dr Brian Iddon MP, reayg@parliament.uk or 0207 2192096