Prescription drugs sold at high prices on social media due to lenient doctors

Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports that strong prescription medications—including painkillers, sedatives, ADHD drugs, and Viagra—are being sold at inflated prices on encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram and Signal, fueled by doctors issuing unnecessary prescriptions.

According to addiction specialist Kaarlo Simojoki of private healthcare provider Mehiläinen, up to 100,000 Finns regularly misuse prescription painkillers. A broader survey by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) found nearly 400,000 people have used prescription drugs without a prescription or against medical advice at least once.

Reselling prescription drugs is illegal and typically punishable by fines, but the black market offers massive profits. For example, a package of gabapentin (used for epilepsy and nerve pain) costs under €30 in pharmacies but can sell for up to €1,500 on the street. THL estimates about 5% of all prescribed controlled substances are diverted for misuse.

Doctors enable misuse with lax prescribing

Finland’s National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (LVV) revoked the right to prescribe controlled substances from 14 doctors last year, with some losing their medical licenses entirely. However, experts say this represents only a fraction of problematic cases.

Simojoki cites multiple reasons for reckless prescribing, including lack of awareness, time pressure, a desire to help, and in some cases, the doctor’s own substance abuse issues. Patients may also manipulate doctors into issuing prescriptions.

Pharmacies play a role in curbing abuse by refusing to dispense medications if they suspect misuse, such as overlapping prescriptions for the same drug. Kati Vuorikallas, pharmaceutical director at Yliopiston Apteekki, confirmed that pharmacies contact prescribing doctors when red flags appear.

Misuse spans different user groups

Simojoki notes that prescription drug misuse involves distinct groups: those dependent on legitimately prescribed medications, recreational users seeking to enhance or balance the effects of other substances, and poly-substance abusers who rely on daily doses of prescription drugs.

While sedatives and painkillers dominate the black market, ADHD medication sales have also risen in recent years.