Jeremy Browne, the Liberal Democrat Minister at the Home Office, is launching a public consultation on the proposal to make Tramadol a Class C drug. You can read the consultation paper and respond to it here.
Tramadol is a prescription only painkiller used to treat a number of painful conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. It is a synthetic opioid, which is why it has developed a following as a recreational drug. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) says that Tramadol was mentioned on 154 death certificates in 2011, and that its misuse has resulted in some serious complications. It is the non-prescription use of the drug that is a cause for concern, and there is no intention of restricting its medical uses.
Tramadol (also sold as Zydol in the UK) is marketed under many names around the world which makes for easy availability online.
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4 Comments
I use Tramadol for arthritic knees that are so bad they need replacing.I tried many other painkillers,some,like codeine gave severe constipation.Anti inflammatory drugs upset my stomach.Tramadol is the only painkiller that seems to offer me relief.So I hope I can continue to get it legally.
A lot of things in life can be dangerous,even wiring up a plug.I could overdose on many over the counter drugs if I wanted to and bought enough.But pain relief that works is needed.I am glad the Advisory Council do not want to restrict its use.
“This consultation is not seeking views on whether tramadol should be controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.”
We already know that the Government will add this to the huge list of euphemistically “controlled” drugs (euphemistically, because they are never controlled, once on that list). Having already made Khat illegal for no other reason than to look “hard” I expect this substance to follow.
Paracetamol kills more people year after year.