News: Clubbers blamed for ADHD drug rise - 18th Feb

[Fry-d-]

Clubbers blamed for ADHD drug rise

CATHY O'LEARY



Tighter restrictions were needed on the distribution of ADHD drugs in WA, health experts warned yesterday, amid growing fears that the State's soaring rate of dexamphetamine consumption could be blamed on recreational use.

The WA Health Department and a leading pharmacy lecturer both said yesterday they believed the rate of dexamphetamine use in WA, which is up to 10 times the rates of other States, stemmed in part from the pills falling into the wrong hands.

This was due to the demand for dexamphetamine, otherwise known as speed, on the black market as well as some people being wrongly prescribed ADHD drugs.

Their fears about the misuse of the drugs are underpinned by overwhelming evidence that nightclubbers use dexamphetamine as a party drug while some professional workers are using it to stay focused.

"There's no question that these drugs are being used as speed. The only question is how much of it happens," Curtin University School of Pharmacy lecturer Con Berbatis said.

Figures obtained by The West Australian have revealed that dexamphetamine is still being prescribed to WA children and adults at rates far higher than other States, despite new rules for doctors writing scripts and claims the drug's use has been exaggerated.

Mr Berbatis said all WA doctors and pharmacists should have internet access to information about patients being prescribed Schedule 8 drugs such as dexamphetamine. It was well known that "pseudo-patients" in WA were "doctor-shopping" and "pharmacy-shopping" to obtain and fill multiple prescriptions.

He said a small number of doctors, nurses and pharmacists were known to be addicted to the stimulants while some mothers of children with ADHD presented scripts which were clearly destined for unintended use.

"Doctors and pharmacists are at the mercy of people shopping around to get these drugs because they don't have online access to information, and in particular there needs to be tighter controls at a dispensing level," he said.

Mr Berbatis said there were cases of people receiving up to seven prescriptions and having them filled at five pharmacies over just 13 days.

Health Department office of mental health director Aaron Groves, who is heading a State Government panel to implement recommendations from last year's parliamentary inquiry into ADHD, said there was an ongoing problem of dexamphetamines getting into the wrong hands.

He agreed that doctors and pharmacists should have better access to information about people seeking the drug but said different Federal and State jurisdictions made this difficult.

"We have new guidelines for doctors wanting to prescribe stimulants and have knocked back some people, but while we can give doctors the benefit of any information we have it is limited," he said.

Australian Medical Association ethics spokeswoman Rosanna Capolingua said she was concerned about people overusing the drugs or passing them to others. But she said initiatives such as the Federal Government's relaunched prescription-shopper hotline for GPs would help and it was unnecessary to give pharmacists access to more information.
Taken from The West online

The news this week has been full of the on going dexamphetamine abuse problem in WA.

 

[KostoN]

They are prescribe DEXTROAMPHETAMINE...I think thats adderall salts?

Theres a difference between the two...


Dexies are hard to come by, but when they do come by they are snapped up very quickly..

 

[Fry-d-]

I disagree, dexamphetamine is extremely easy to come by in Perth. I know plenty of people personally who have legitimate scripts but are prescribed so many they don't need they give extra dexies to there mates, still more people who have faked the symptoms and receive massive amounts of the drug when they don't need it.

 

[Biscuit]

This headline pissed me off to no end - when you read the article it becomes clear that there are many persons, including mothers and health professionals, out in the community who are gobbling these little things left, right and centre.

Yet the West singles out "Clubbers" in the 48 point font - gutter journalism and misleading as per normal.

P.S: doesn't the West know that all clubbers use methamphetamine and MDMA, and not waste time with dexamphetamines.

 

[sixthseal.com]

I could have sworn I've read this article back in 2002 - same issue, different wording. It was also about the disporportionate amount of Perth residents on dex.

I'm not sure what the situation in Australia is like now, but it wasn't hard for me to get a permanent dexamphetamine script when I was studying in Melbourne. No sleep clinics, no hassles - just told him I have narcolepsy and I got 100 tabs of 5 mg dexamphetamine, which increased to 200 tabs towards the end.

I even passed the refill script to a close (Caucasian) friend when I came back, and he sucessfully got another person to get the refills. That seems pretty lax for a Schedule IV drug to me...or maybe I was just lucky.

 

[psy_taco]

The problem seems to be disproportionate over-prescribing of these drugs, rather than as the title suggests abuse of pharms by clubbers.
Giving all doctors better access to information on the drugs they are prescribing to people is what I believe is really at the heart of this topic. Maybe a government initive to provide all GPs with internet access? Might see an influx of GPs using bluelight, who knows.

On another note when I was just getting into drugs at the tender age of 15 my friend had ADD and was presscribed Ritalin and hated taking them so I used to buy them of him for 20cents a pill. Used them for all sorts of things; school socials, essays, swimming training you name it.
Not a bad introduction into stimulant psychoactives

 

[nephron]

I know a ludicrous number of people on dexies, although most of them are actually using it like they're meant to, for ADHD. Can always find them to buy if you want, though.

Still, I'd rather people took known quantities of pharmaceutical grade amphetamine than something produced by someone without a particularly stunning understanding of chemistry, and without quality control.

 

[KostoN]

Maybe they're easy to come by if you're paying $1 per pill !!!! Try chasing bottles of em!!


I'd go dexies over meth any day.

 

[nephron]

Eh, lots of my friends are prescribed them, for better or worse.

 

[TranceNation]

Just wanted to add something.

The availability of amphetmines in W.A from my experiences and from what I am told by friends who live there, prices are very high and availability is scarce compared to other states.

The fact that dexamphetemines are easily obtainable obvioulsy would make a good substitution for illicts. Hence why they are consuming such high amount.

 

[Rustyfred84]

Waht hard to come by? Dexamphetamines r very easy to come across over here in w.a aye. If i want em i pay like 20 for 15 dollars ahha, cheap nite out. Oh the joy having a popular little sister ahha.