Family doctors have been accused of handing out addictive painkillers "as if they were Smarties". Last year, 23.8million NHS prescriptions of potentially habit-forming opiates such as codeine were dished out - 2,700 an HOUR. 有人指控家庭医生把令人上瘾的止痛药"像聪明豆糖果一样"往外发。去年，英国国民健康体系有2380万份处方开了可待因等易上瘾的阿片类药物--每小时2700份。 Though given by GPs for legitimate ailments - period pain, headache and chronic conditions - many patients complain of becoming addicted, with little support getting off the drugs. Thousands - like Nicki Hari - buy over-the-counter packs of co-codamol after finishing their prescribed supply. 尽管由全科医生合法开具用于治疗疾病--痛经、头痛和慢性病--很多病人都抱怨对药物上瘾，在戒瘾方面几乎得不到支持。成千上万人--如Nicki Hari--在吃完处方药后，又去购买非处方co-codamol药物。 Co-codamol - a mixture of codeine and paracetamol - is banned without a prescription in America and Australia. The UK's analgesics market is worth an annual ?212million and shoppers can pick up a packet in any pharmacy. In Boots, 32 co-codamol pills cost just ?2.69. 在美国和澳大利亚，co-codamol--可待因和乙酰氨基酚的混合物--没有处方是无法购买的。英国镇痛药的市场价值为每年2.12亿英镑，每个人都可以在药房购买。在Boots连锁店，32颗co-codamol药丸仅售2.69英镑。 While very effective for pain control, bringing relief in just 30 minutes, opiates produce a "high". Codeine belongs to the same group of drugs as tramadol, morphine and heroin - derived from the opium poppy. 虽然能有效控制疼痛（30分钟内可缓解疼痛），但阿片类药物会让人感觉飘乎乎的。可待因和曲马多、吗啡以及海洛因属于同一组药物--源于罂粟。
It has been labelled a "gateway drug" because it can pave the way to serious substance abuse. In 2016, there were a record 3,744 deaths in England and Wales related to drug misuse. Of those, 2,038 were from opiates including heroin and methadone. Latest Office for National Statistics figures also flag up a rising number of deaths from prescription and over-the-counter drugs. 它已被称为"入门药物"，因为它为大量滥用药物铺平道路。2016年，英格兰和威尔士有3744人因药物滥用去世。其中2038人死于阿片类药物，包括海洛因和美沙酮。英国国家统计局的最新数据也显示，死于处方药和非处方药的人数正不断上升。 Celebrities who became hooked on painkillers include TV host Ant McPartlin, 42, who used them after a knee op went wrong. Former addict Nicki Hari, 50, was given her first codeine dose at just 14 after having her tonsils out. The mum of two says: "Knowing what I know now, I cannot believe how easily doctors gave me codeine - like Smarties. I had no idea I was an addict for years." 那些迷上止痛药的名人包括42岁的电视节目主持人Ant McPartlin，他在膝关节活动不便时使用了这类药物。50岁的Nicki Hari之前是位瘾君子，14岁切除扁桃体的时候，她服用了第一剂可待因。这位两个孩子的母亲说："现在我知道了这些，我无法相信医生就那么随随便便的给我开了可待因--就像给人聪明豆糖果一样。多年来我一直不知道自己是个瘾君子。" The prescriptions were followed up with hassle-free repeats at her GP practice. When she finished her prescribed tablets before the next batch was due, Nicki topped up with low-dose over-the-counter co-codamol, exceeding the recommended daily intake. 开完处方药后，全科医生又让她不用担心，重复使用下去。下一批药物到期前，当她吃完处方药片时，Nicki又买了低剂量的非处方co-codamol药物，超出了日推荐服用量。
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