ISLANDERS are turning to illegal drugs such as cannabis – or medication bought on the dark web – to ease symptoms of ADHD as long waiting times for diagnosis, global shortages and inefficient local processes make it increasingly difficult to access treatment, the JEP has been told.
Illegal websites offer prescription medication, like ADHD drugs, without authorisation or regulation.
Rachel Tippett, founder of ADHD Jersey, said she was aware of cases where these accessibility issues had driven Islanders to buy their medication via online black markets. She said: “This can be dangerous, particularly for those taking other medications like antidepressants or anxiety drugs.”
The NHS has warned that any medicine from unregistered websites could be dangerous to health because it might be out of date, diluted or fake, or may not be suitable.
A 25-year-old woman, who has been on the waiting list to be diagnosed for just over a year, explained how she turned to cannabis in the evenings to “bring herself down.”
She said: “I turn to weed when I’ve become manic and when I can’t seem to switch off or relax. It helps me to relax and to calm down. But it doesn’t help me to focus or to concentrate, so I am looking to get medication to help me in that sense.”
Another Islander told us that she also self-medicated, including with cannabis.
She said: “Yes, in the absence of a formal diagnosis (while I wait), I have had no other option but to experiment with herbal remedies to see what works with me such as camomile tea, Indica Cannabis Bud (Sativa is avoided – makes me even more anxious than I already am), CBD oil was pretty good, and I’m currently taking prescription Mertazapine for depression, which I have recently found out is a symptom of ADHD.
“This seems to really take the edge off that constant fight-or-flight response and racing mind and I can get some really good sleep much earlier in the evening as opposed to staying up all night. I’ve also turned to multivitamin supplements which I seem to be particularly sensitive to in a very positive way such as vitamin B complex which gives me that kick up the backside should I be experiencing ADHD paralysis on an off day, without the side effects of coffee, which I’ve largely given up.”
The JEP has been told that there is tension between clinics which prescribe cannabis and some at Health when it comes to how ADHD and other mental-health conditions are treated.
The States of Jersey Police confirmed that previous drug seizures and investigations have included controlled prescription drugs.
In the past six months, the police have made one seizure of an ADHD stimulant prescription drug – Dexamfetamine – according to a freedom of information request lodged by the JEP.
However, it may be the case that other instances of the online purchase and shipping of ADHD medication went undetected.
The police explained: “Internet dark web investigations can be difficult, but what is illegal in Jersey and Europe is not always illegal in other countries.
“Police continue to work with other agencies and police forces using a number of techniques to tackle the buying and selling of drugs online.”
