DOCTORS are prescribing drugs rather than talking to patients - creating sleeping pill and tranquilliser addicts, a psychiatrist claims.
And the problem is compounded by the fact that many doctors are themselves addicted to medication, Chinese University head of psychiatry, Professor Chen Char-nie, said.
''Doctors think they know drugs better than anyone,'' he said.
''But in fact they are the most vulnerable to drug abuse - many doctors are addicted to drugs.'' Professor Chen said tranquillisers and sleeping tablets were often used by physicians themselves, but the most widely abused drugs were painkillers.
Legislative Council medical representative, Dr Leong Che-hung, said most doctors prescribed drugs only when they were needed.
The problem of abuse was no bigger among doctors than among the general population.
Dr Leong said being hooked on sleeping tablets was different from abusing heroin - the former was an ''habituation'' rather than an addiction, he said.