A survey of psychotropic drug prescription was conducted in Verona using information obtained from 92 GPs. A total of 2559 patients consulted their GPs on the day of the study and 14.2% of them received a prescription for a psychotropic drug. Benzodiazepines were the most frequently prescribed: 72.8% and 70.4% of all psychotropic prescriptions in women and men respectively. The prevalence of prescription was higher in women than in men (15.8% vs 11.2%) and the difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.001). Subjects aged 45-64 had the highest chance of receiving prescriptions for psychotropics. Occupational status seems related to psychotropic drug prescription only in women. A strong association was found between psychotropic drug prescription and conspicuous psychiatric morbidity. This association was independent of sex, age, and occupational status. An interactive effect between social problems and sex on psychotropic drug prescription was found. The perception by the GP of a social problem increases the risk that a psychotropic will be prescribed about twice in women, but not in men.