The National Center for Monitoring Drug and Other Addictions has released statistics on the use of antidepressants and tranquilizers by residents of the Czech Republic.
Nearly 1 million people in the country (over 900,000) take risky psychoactive substances such as tranquilizers, strong sleeping pills, and highly potent painkillers. About 200,000 individuals use these medications daily, with women using them roughly twice as often as men.
The statistics refer to both over-the-counter medications and those that people take in larger quantities than recommended by their prescriptions.
The Center points out that there is an explanation for this trend: doctors do not always check whether a medication has already been prescribed by another specialist before prescribing it themselves. As a result, people may visit multiple doctors and gain access to a large number of psychoactive substances.
