PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - I K Crombie AU - P McLoone TI - Does the availability of prescribed drugs affect rates of self poisoning? DP - 1998 Aug 01 TA - British Journal of General Practice PG - 1505--1506 VI - 48 IP - 433 4099 - http://bjgp.org/content/48/433/1505.short 4100 - http://bjgp.org/content/48/433/1505.full SO - Br J Gen Pract1998 Aug 01; 48 AB - The trends in self-poisoning rates and in rates of prescribing of the major drug groups were compared. Over the period 1981-91, barbiturate prescribing and self poisoning both fell by 80%; for antidepressants, prescribing increased by over 40% and self poisoning by 30%; for antipsychotics, both rose by 30%; for benzodiazepines, poisoning fell by 30% and prescribing by 20%. Even for analgesic drugs, which are also available over the counter, there was a correspondence between changes in self poisoning and prescribing. The availability of prescribed drugs is directly related to their use for self poisoning. Restricting the availability of these drugs is a possible preventative strategy, although further research on this is needed.