Soaring numbers of Brits hooked on painkillers fuelled by online cowboys

Daily Mirror

7 days ago

Statistics from a support group show the number of prescription drug addicts in the UK has doubled in the past five years with a Sunday Mirror investigation finding pills are cheap and easy to come by
A Sunday Mirror investigation reveals a host of deadly prescription-only tablets available for the price of a can of fizzy drink. And a drug charity's call for a crackdown on illegal sellers is being backed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who warns that Britain is a nation in danger of 'sleepwalking into addiction'.
Support group WithYou says the number of prescription drug addicts it helps has doubled in five years. Celebrities who have become hooked include England footballer Dele Alli and EastEnders star Danny Dyer. Alli, 29, told how a doctor initially prescribed him zopiclone, known as Z, for insomnia – but he ended up sourcing them 'from outside the game' as his addiction worsened and he spent six weeks in rehab.
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Dyer, 47, opened up on Desert Island Discs about being 'off his nut' on Valium while on EastEnders.
Neither star revealed how they sourced their pills but for many this means clicking on websites which are tapping into the addiction market and selling prescription drugs with no medical supervision.
Our investigation found highly addictive pills available online for as little as £1.29 a pill. They were delivered to our door in 24 hours via tracked Royal Mail delivery with no prescription, ID, age checks or health advice.
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Some sellers use encrypted messaging to cover their tracks. One even pretends to be an online fashion store to put authorities off the scent.
One site bragged: 'We are dedicated to enhancing your wellbeing by providing trusted solutions for sleep disorders, anxiety, and pain management.' It even claimed to 'empower ­individuals to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives'.
Within minutes we could order Valium, zopiclone, nitrazepam – known as moggies – and opioids like codeine and tramadol.
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One site says it ships from inside the UK and guarantees next-day delivery.
But rather than paying via the website, we were emailed an order number and UK mobile number and told to message the code via WhatsApp.
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Immediately an encrypted payment link was sent, which directed us to an online invoice listing not drugs but clothing for the same value.
A pack of Valium we ordered for £29.78 was instead invoiced as 'Diaz Wool Raydon' next to a picture of a woollen cardigan.
Asked whether the garments were also available for purchase, it replied on WhatsApp: 'Please ignore, we have to change the product on the payment portal due to the nature of the product.'
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Within minutes we were sent a Royal Mail tracking link by email. Next morning the drugs appeared in an unmarked envelope in blister packs. The outer packaging with dosing and safety information had been removed.
A GP told us the packaging, wording and branding on the blister packs as well as the appearance of the pills were identical to the ones she routinely prescribes. The doctor warned that such drugs could be counterfeit, causing further health problems. Another site was based in the UK but shipped zopiclone from India.
An email from it lied: 'As part of our service, we take care of the entire prescription process on your behalf. This is not a request for approval – it is a seamless part of what we do to ensure you receive your order without delay or complication.'
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This time the package arrived after four days, with stamps on the envelope showing it came through customs. Disturbingly in this case, the email receipt even came with suggestions for four other drugs we 'might like' to try, including Valium.
Our findings were described as 'very concerning' by Robin Pollard, head of policy at WithYou.
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Selling such drugs without a prescription can lead to a seven-year jail term – and the charity wants the law enforced.
Mr Pollard said: 'Drug testing services have shown that drugs bought online from unregulated sources are unpredictable and can be cut with other substances. These can have variable strength, toxicity and effects. Swift Government action against illicit sellers is vital to save lives.'
His words were echoed by Health and Social Care Secretary Mr Streeting, who said: 'Regulators have my full support to crack down on any services putting people in danger. Without the correct supervision, patients can be at risk of sleep-walking into addiction. Drugs which can be lethal must only be taken under medical supervision.
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'Anyone suffering with pain, disordered sleep or mental health problems should seek help from a GP as a first port of call, and only take medications as advised.'
Statistics from WithYou show they processed nearly double the number of referrals from patients addicted to prescription drugs last year compared with 2020.
And if referral rates for the first quarter of 2025 continue, that number is set to double again by the end of the year. The charity says that shutting down illicit sellers is not enough because legitimate prescription painkillers are a big problem.
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One of their clients, Barry Jonas, 35, told us he was prescribed highly addictive codeine tablets 100 times before he was finally diagnosed with a rare form of arthritis.
He said: 'I was first prescribed the drugs for extreme pain in my hips when I was only 14 or 15. They didn't know what was wrong with me but I was in agony so they just kept on prescribing it while they ran various tests for things that always came back negative.
'It was like they didn't know what else to do so they just kept on prescribing it and as I grew older I needed more to deal with the pain.
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'By the time I was 19 I was an addict and I desperately wanted help but I was ashamed.
Barry is now being treated by WithYou which wants more research into the crisis.
There has been no official report into this type of addiction in the UK since 2018 when Public Health England looked into it.
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They revealed a quarter of adults were prescribed drugs putting them at risk of dependency every year – but it made no mention of the unlicensed trade or how many patients went on to develop addictions.
Mr Pollard added: 'The Government must invest in our health services to ensure they can support safe prescribing practices. We also need easy access to drug testing services.
'There's a perception that people need to hit rock bottom before accessing support but this isn't true. Anyone concerned about medication bought online should reach out for help.'
If you're concerned for yourself or a loved one the WithYou webchat at wearewithyou.org.uk offers free, confidential, non-judgmental advice from expert recovery workers.