ADDICTION specialists in London have warned about responsible prescribing of tramadol (BAJ2013;347:f5599). AdamWinstock, from South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, and colleagues report their findings on tramadol from a 2012 survey exploring misuse of prescription drugs. Tramadol use over the past year was reported by 369 respondents (mean age 30 years) in the UK. Some 64 per cent had obtained the drug from their GP, 34 per cent from a friend, 3 per cent from a dealer and 3 per cent from the internet. Asked their reasons for taking the drug, 75 per cent said that they used it for pain relief, 31 per cent to help them relax, 26 per cent to aid sleep, and 25 per cent to get high.
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