Ahead of Blue Monday, new research by Oxford Online Pharmacy has found a concerning number of UK adults (20%) have obtained prescription-only medication illegally. And anti-anxiety drugs are the most common. Using the latest ONS population estimates, this could be up to 4.8 million adults. A further 10% of respondents said they have been offered illegal medication from an unlicensed source, like a dodgy online seller, a salon or corner shop, or via family and friends, but didn’t take it. A nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults aged 18 and over were asked if they have bought, received or have been offered medication from an unlicensed (and therefore illegal) source. Of the people who said yes, over a third (35%) obtained anti-anxiety medication such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax. The figure rises to 43% for people aged 35 to 43-years-old and 39% for 45 to 54-year-olds. When annual salary is considered, the rate is highest for those earning the lowest (£15K or less) at 44%, suggesting a cost element to the decision. Online sellers, including unlicensed online pharmacies, are the most common source of black-market medication (27%), closely followed by family members (26%) and hair and beauty salons (20%). A further 15% of people say they have obtained them from a local corner shop. The black market for medicine is growing, representing a serious risk to public health. In June 2025, as part of INTERPOL’s Operation Pangea, the…
