Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of the misuse of prescription medication in Ireland and its detrimental impact on road traffic accidents and lives generally. Of 109 coroners' reports that were examined in 2013, the coroner found that 31% of those who died in car crashes had consumed alcohol while 30% had taken prescription medication, with 12% of the 30% specifically relating to the consumption of the prescription drug, benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepine is a class of psychoactive drugs used to treat a range of conditions including anxiety and insomnia and contains sedative, hypnotic and muscle relaxant properties. The drugs contains chemicals which add to the calming effect already produced by the human body, which keeps the brain in a more tranquillised state.Some of the side-effects listed of benzodiazepines are drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, trembling, impaired co-ordination, vision problems and grogginess. These tablets have also been used increasingly as a form of date-rape drug for sexual assault due to their ability to make persons drowsy and unaware of their surroundings. Law enforcement is currently unaware if the drugs are being obtained with a prescription or illegally off the street or on the Internet, although many believe that too many benzodiazepines are being prescribed by doctors.

Because of the lack of legislation currently in place, the drug can easily be brought into Ireland and sold on the street without a prescription from a doctor. There have been recent calls on the Department of Health to implement laws regarding prescription drugs throughout Ireland and I call on the Government to expedite the enactment of such laws without delay. I urge the Leader to call a debate in this House on the prevalence of the abuse of prescription drugs and to publicly highlight the harmful effect their misuse has on individuals.