YOUNG people are increasingly becoming addicted to tranquillisers such as Valium and Xanax — known on the street as “sweets” and “smarties” — and are running up massive debts to buy them.

THE Department of Health and the HSE are developing new policy to improve practices around the overuse of benzodiazepines (BZDs) within the health system.

THE publication of a Health Research Board (HRB) report, warning of the continued misuse and possible fatal effects of prescription drugs for anxiety and depression, comes eight years after a governmental report recommended action on the issue.

MORE than €60 million was spent on sleeping tablets, anxiety drugs and tranquillising psychiatric medication in 2008, representing a sharp rise.