‘There should be some sort of safeguarding system for vulnerable people. We need more protection’

opioid crisis approaching that in the US over the next five years, partly due to the ease with which over-the-counter opioids can be purchased in pharmacies and online.

Dr Mosley discovered British pharmacies selling opioids without applying standard guidelines, and also managed to buy strong prescription-grade opioids online under a fake name. The side effects of these drugs can include memory loss, addiction and even accidental death by overdose. But just as perilous, he says, is the psychological aspect of long-term high dosage use. “Long-term users are actually afraid to come off opioids because they fear that their pain will get worse. When they do, they are often surprised it doesn’t.” But many never get that far, afraid to give up dependency on pills they believe to be helping them manage chronic conditions. Although it is possible to quit, the temptation can remain. “When I came out of detox, I was faced with the big bad world, raw,” says Vicki. “You have to find some inner strength. I looked at my home and I thought ‘It’s not that bad.’ And that was it.

“But make no mistake. I don’t think you can ever truly overcome it. When I walk past a pharmacist, there is still the pull, there is always the pull. Everyone wants to feel great every day. I’m lucky because I’m fairly strong-willed, but in future I believe that there should be some sort of safeguarding system for vulnerable people who are in the grip of this addiction. We definitely need more protection.”