Dumfries Agency Given Addiction Study Role

An agency in south west Scotland has been asked to give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into the extent of prescription drug misuse in the UK.

Dumfries-based Overcount specialises in the problem of addiction to over-the-counter medicines.

It has been asked to give both oral and written evidence to the inquiry.

Overcount founder David Grieve, a former cough medicine addict, said it was a “great privilege” for his small organisation to be given the role.

The all party parliamentary group on drug misuse recently announced its inquiry into the scale of the prescription drugs problem.

Overcount, which has dealt with more than 16,000 clients since it was founded in 1993, has been asked to provide detailed evidence on the issue.

It will also compile a scientific report defining the problem and suggesting methods of research and how society should deal with the issue.

Mr Grieve said he was pleased to have the opportunity to potentially influence future treatment policies.

“We have been lobbying for many years for appropriate research into the problem of over-the-counter drug abuses,” he said.

The group is also keen to see planning policies being put in place in order to deal with the increasing number of people affected by the problem.

“At last this seems to be happening,” said Mr Grieve.

At the launch of the inquiry, committee chairman Dr Brian Iddon said there were serious concerns about the spread of the problem.

“We know that thousands of people’s lives have been affected by the misuse of drugs found in the home medicine cabinet or at the chemists,” he said.

He added that the inquiry hoped to gather the evidence necessary to “give a voice to those currently suffering in silence”.