Ecstasy and misuse of prescription pills on the rise in the Hunter

[CLICKHEREx]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-16/ecstasy-and-misuse-of-prescription-pills-on-the-rise-in-the-hun/5600034

16 Jul 2014, 7:25am AEST

Photo: A UN drug report shows Australia tops the world in the use of the illicit drug ecstasy. (Getty Images)

A specialist at Newcastle's Calvary Mater hospital is seeing a big rise in the use of illicit drugs and misuse of prescription medicines.

Staff specialist in addiction medicine Craig Sadler says ecstasy is one of the illicit drugs on the increase in the Hunter.

The United Nation's latest World Drug Report found Australia tops the rest of the world in ecstasy use but methamphetamines and cocaine also ranked highly.

Doctor Sadler says another concern is the misuse of prescription medicines like opiates that can be highly addictive and sometimes end up on the black market.

"With regards to prescribed opiates or over-the-counter opiates from pharmacies, there has been an increase in their prescription and use," he said.

"What has happened as a result, in some cases is that people divert their prescribed opiates onto the illicit market and other people then purchase them and drug problems can develop."

But he says local GPs are not to blame for the rise in the misuse of prescription opiates.

Doctor Sadler says opiates are often used to treat acute pain, but some people who are addicted to them can hoodwink general practitioners into prescribing the drugs .

"In general terms the GPs are aware of the problems of opiates and are generally quite cautious about the prescribing of medications.

"Sometimes the medications are sought by patients going to multiple different doctors without the patient seeking an appropriate review of their physical problems or other suggestions related to pain management."