The number of people who medicines and strong painkillers via illegal websites, platforms such as Marktplaats, or social media buys, is increasing. This is dangerous, warns the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ), as these illegal medicines often contain other substances or are offered in excessively high doses, which can be life-threatening. They are a type of designer drugs.
Overdose from strong drugs
Recently, a man in Amsterdam likely died from an overdose of isotonitazepyne, a painkiller that is a thousand times stronger than morphine. The pills were sold as oxycodone, another powerful painkiller that is widely prescribed and can be highly addictive. In 2023, oxycodone was prescribed to 489.000 people, says Pieter Oomen, a pharmacist affiliated with the Trimbos Institute, which focuses on addiction. It is used by people with severe pain, but is far from harmless. “There is a high risk of side effects, and people can become addicted to strong painkillers. An overdose can be fatal.” The isotonitazepyne that may have caused the man’s death is much more powerful and can be fatal even in low doses.
Illegal sale of drugs and medicines
The way the man obtained the medication is still under investigation, but the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate has noticed an increase in the sale of medication via illegal channels. "This worries us," says a spokesperson for the Inspectorate. "We are seeing more and more supply via illegal websites and social media."
Last year, the IGJ received 200 reports of the sale of illegal medicines via the internet. The Inspectorate works together with Customs and platforms such as Marktplaats to quickly close down illegal sales outlets, but the problem remains persistent. Is this perhaps also a new market now that designer drugs are banned in the Netherlands from 1 July? New psychoactive substances will be added to the Opium Act on that date. The Senate has approved the cabinet's proposal to ban groups of substances with a similar chemical structure.
Marketplace fights against illegal sales
Marktplaats has had to remove more and more ads promoting illegal drugs in the past year. In the first half of 2024, Marktplaats removed an average of 85 ads per month, compared to 60 per month in 2023. The platform mainly sees ads for slimming medication, malaria pills, erectile dysfunction drugs and sleeping pills.
There are several reasons why people choose to purchase painkillers illegally. Oomen explains: “Some people are addicted, while others buy painkillers because their doctor has stopped using them, but they still experience severe pain.”
Not just painkillers
Although the sale of painkillers on illegal markets is worrying, the problem does not only occur with painkillers. It was recently revealed that so-called erection pills sold online often contain no or too much of the active ingredient. There is also a lot wrong with slimming products, says the IGJ. "These are shameful drugs that people often buy online without a prescription and which they do not report quickly."
Buy safely through official channels
Oomen emphasizes that you can only be sure about the quality of medicines if you purchase them through official channels, such as the pharmacy or a doctor. “Medicines that you buy through the doctor or the pharmacy have been checked for quality. Also consult the website aanbiedersmedicijnen.nl for reliable online providers.”
Although isotonitazepyne and other extreme painkillers belong to the nitazenes, they are not yet sold on a large scale via the illegal circuit, says Oomen. "These substances are extremely potent and can quickly lead to an overdose. Therefore, only use strong painkillers if they have been obtained via regular channels."
Source: Gelderlander.nl
