Pain Pill Poppers

I'm not surprised at the latest findings that more than 30,000 people are addicted to over-the-counter painkillers in the U.K.

A Medical Practitioners' (MPs) report on drugs misuse reveals that some take a staggering 70 pills a day, which can result in serious side effects such as liver damage and stomach ulcers.

People assume any pills they buy at the drug store without a prescription are safer than prescription medication, and by and large they are -- but this doesn't hold true if they are taken to excess or for too long.

Abuse them and, like any medicine, they become highly dangerous.

There are reasons why painkillers you buy from the pharmacy have clear manufacturer's instructions on the packet -- but many people don't realize you ignore them at your peril.

Some experts argue we should restrict availability of these painkillers, but I think the key to dealing with this problem is to minimize the risk of addiction without penalizing patients who benefit from them.

This could be as simple as making people more aware that some over-the-counter painkillers can be addictive. A recent study found over three-quarters of people had no idea they could get hooked on such pills.

Which Pills Can Be Addictive?
We're talking about painkillers that contain codeine.

But, as a rule, any that are called "extra" "plus" or "ultra" tend to contain combinations of two different painkillers, the first being ibuprofen or aspirin and the second being up to 12mg of codeine.

Codeine, the crucial ingredient in these extra-strength painkillers, is a member of the same family of drugs that includes morphine and heroin.

It's an effective pain receptor inhibitor, enhancing the action of standard painkillers such as ibuprofen and inducing a feeling of calm and well-being. But taken in big-enough doses, they can easily become addictive with significant side effects when you try to stop.