'I just want some Valium, Doc'

Consultations with drug seeking patients are common and often stressful. Conscientious general practitioners who prefer not to prescribe addictive drugs can experience awkward or unpleasant confrontations with patients.

This article describes a way of dealing with such consultations in order to minimise the difficulties, while maximising the opportunity for good patient care. Some of the common concerns about not prescribing for drug seekers are discussed.

As with all situations in general practice, there is no single 'right' approach, but what follows may add to our armoury of available responses.