§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of prescriptions issued by community pharmacists during 1988 for the following benzodiazepines(a) diazepam, (b) tenazepam, (c) lorazepam, (d) nitrazepam and (e) chlordiazepoxide.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe number of prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists for the drugs requested is as follows:
169W
Great Britain Number of prescriptions in 1988 Millions Diazepam 4.5 Tenazepam 7.7 Lorazepam 2.1 Nitrazepam 4.6 Chlordiazep oxide 0.9
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has of the number of chronic users of benzodiazepines in the United Kingdom and what action he intends to take to reduce this number.
§ Mr. FreemanThere are no precise figures to show the level of benzodiazepine dependence. A number of measures have been taken to tackle the problem, including the issue of advice to doctors on the careful use of these drugs, the promotion of alternatives to their use, and the development of services to help those dependent on them.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what grants have been made in 1989–90 under the central drugs initiative to services specifically for those dependent on benzodiazepines.
§ Mr. FreemanThe central drugs initiative was established in 1983–84 as a pump-priming scheme to provide capital and revenue resources for local projects to assist people suffering from drug dependence. Each grant was to last for three years, and the last approach was made in 1987, so that the scheme is now drawing to a close.
Grants specifically for those dependent on benzodiazepines or other tranquillisers under this initiative totalled over £300,000. None of these grants fell into the current financial year. It is not possible to estimate the extent to which these grant-aided schemes also provide services for this group.
The initiative is in addition to the other funds for drug dependence, in particular the earmarked money allocated to regional health authorities for drug dependence in each financial year since 1986, and which in the current year totals nearly £15 million.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health why people dependent on benzodiazepines are classed by his Department as drug misusers.
§ Mr. FreemanThe Department is concerned with the prevention and treatment of drug dependence irrespective of whether the condition arises from illicit or prescribed drug use. Equally, the funds that the Department has made available are for the development of services both for those dependent on prescribed drugs and those experiencing problems with illicit drug use.