Tramadol, the prescription painkiller used by hundreds of thousands of people every day, kills more people than any other drug, including heroin and cocaine.
The painkiller does not cause harm if taken correctly, but it becomes very dangerous if mixed with other drugs or alcohol. Last year there were 33 deaths in Northern Ireland, linked to Tramadol alone. Among the dead were a 16-year-old girl and a 70-year-old pensioner. The opioid-based medication is used to treat moderate or severe pain and should only be taken with a prescription. In 2014, it was classified as an illegal class C opioid drug that cannot be offered without a prescription.
The problem is that many people are already addicted to Tramadol and turn to the black market to get it because they can no longer get prescriptions to end their treatment, or because their doctor has prescribed another medicine.
“Because it’s a drug that’s so commonly used and prescribed, I don’t think people realize the potential risk they have if they use Tramadol without medical supervision,” explains Jack Jack, a pathologist in Northern Ireland.
Faucet calls for the Tramadol classification to be updated again so that it is updated to class “A”.
Pain control: tolerance and addiction
Some medications used to treat pain can be addictive. Addiction is different from physical dependence or tolerance. In cases of physical dependence, withdrawal symptoms occur when a substance is suddenly discontinued. Tolerance occurs when the initial dose of a substance loses its effectiveness over time. Addiction is a psychological and behavioral response that people develop when using narcotic pain relievers.
People who use opioid medications long-term can develop tolerance and physical dependence, although this does not mean they are addicted. In general, addiction only occurs in a small percentage of people when medicines are used with adequate medical supervision.
Opioid pain relievers with effects similar to those of opium or morphine can be highly addictive and work by sticking to the receptors in the brain that block the sensation of pain.
It should not be used for more than 3 or 4 months unless it is done under the direct supervision of your doctor.
Some names of opiates:
- Codeine.
- fentanyl
- Hydrocodone.
- hydromorfon
- meperidine
- Morphine.
- oxycodone
- Tramadol
