According to the Government, benzodiazepine prescribing levels in Ireland are unacceptably high. So what are politicians doing to address this and are there enough supports available for the growing number of patients with benzodiazepine dependence?
Benzodiazepines have proven to be a highly effective drug for many decades, so much so that they are now one of the most widely used prescription medicinal products in the world and are among the most prescribed medications in America.
Yet benzodiazepines and Z drugs are viewed by many as somewhat destructive and dangerous because of the risks associated with dependency when used long-term.
According to the Government, benzodiazepine prescribing levels in Ireland are unacceptably high and various initiatives are due to be introduced to tackle the perceived problem.
The initiatives include tackling over-prescribing by introducing new prescribing rules and, regarding the illicit trade of benzodiazepines, additional legislative controls around exports, imports and possession.
Yet these two measures alone will not go far enough critics argue, with a much more multifaceted solution urgently required to adequately respond to such a complex problem.
Indeed, many of the complexities surrounding problematic benzodiazepine usage are simply being ignored.
The actual scale of benzodiazepine dependence in Ireland is unknown, despite claims that prescribing is too high.
Ireland is not alone in this regard. In the UK it is estimated that as many as 1.5 million could be reliant, but again, there are no official figures.
Source: Niamh Cahill, Irish Medical News, 23/07/2013
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