Benzodiazepines

{Benzos, Blues, BZDs, Tranks, Z-Bars, Downers}

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Avoid alcohol

Mixing benzos with depressant drugs such as alcohol, opioids and other benzos can be life-threatening due to risk of respiratory depression.

1

Don’t drive

Benzos decrease your coordination and alertness making driving very dangerous (and illegal).

2

Stick to a dose

Tolerance develops rapidly. If you feel like you need to take more to achieve the same effect, try abstaining for a few weeks to prevent the risk of dependence.

3

Benzos, or benzodiazepines, are a class of prescription drugs which usually come in the form of tablets. They are primarily used to treat anxiety and insomnia due to their depressant effect. Recreational users typically take benzos for their euphoric, relaxant and sedative effects. They are sometimes combined with other drugs to enhance the effects of depressants, ease the comedown from stimulants or try to alleviate a bad psychedelic trip. They should not be confused with Z-drugs, BZP and ‘benzo fury’ which are not benzos.

The first benzodiazepine was synthesised by accident in 1955 in the laboratories of Hoffman-La Roche and has since become the most widely prescribed drug in the world. Currently, around 20 exist, each with varying durations of action dependent on their clinical use.

Prescription drugs are often best known by their brand names, but they also have generic compound names. Some of the most common benzos are Valium (which contains the compound diazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam) and Ativan (lorazepam).

References

¹ Dassanayake, T., Michie, P., Carter, G. and Jones, A. (2011). Effects of Benzodiazepines, Antidepressants and Opioids on Driving. Drug Safety, 34(2), pp.125-156. DOI: 10.2165/11539050-000000000-00000.

² Canada, H. (2018). Benzodiazepines - Canada.ca.

³ Benzo.org.uk. (2012). Benzodiazepines: How They Work & How to Withdraw.

⁴ Cooper, S. (1989). Benzodiazepines and appetite: Recent pre-clinical advances and their clinical implications. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 4(2), pp.81-89. DOI: 10.1002/hup.470040203.

⁵ Hojer, J., Baehrendtz, S. and Gustafsson, L. (1989). Benzodiazepine poisoning: experience of 702 admissions to an intensive care unit during a 14-year period. Journal of Internal Medicine, 226(2), pp.117-122. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1989.tb01365.x.

⁶ Partanen, T., Vikatmaa, P., Tukiainen, E., Lepäntalo, M. and Vuola, J. (2009). Outcome after Injections of Crushed Tablets in Intravenous Drug Abusers in the Helsinki University Central Hospital. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 37(6), pp.704-711. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2009.01.016.

⁷ Starcevic, B. and Sicaja, M. (2007). Dual intoxication with diazepam and amphetamine: This drug interaction probably potentiates myocardial ischemia. Medical Hypotheses, 69(2), pp.377-380. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.12.033.

⁸ Mattila, M.J. and Nuotto E. (1983). Caffeine and theophylline counteract diazepam effects in man. Medical Biology, 61(6), pp.337-43.

⁹ Emmanouil, D. and Quock, R. (2007). Advances in Understanding the Actions of Nitrous Oxide. Anesthesia Progress, 54(1), pp.9-18. DOI: 10.2344/0003-3006(2007)54[9:AIUTAO]2.0.CO;2.

¹⁰ Jones, J., Mogali, S. and Comer, S. (2012). Polydrug abuse: A review of opioid and benzodiazepine combination use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 125(1-2), pp.8-18. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.07.004.

¹¹ Kroboth P.D., Smith R.B., Stoehr G.P. and Juhl R.P. (1985). Pharmacodynamic evaluation of the benzodiazepine-oral contraceptive interaction. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 38(5), pp.525-32.

¹² D'Arcy P.F. (1986). Drug interactions with oral contraceptives. Drug Intelligence & Clinical Pharmacology, 20(5), pp.353-62.

¹³ Starcevic, B. and Sicaja, M. (2007). Dual intoxication with diazepam and amphetamine: This drug interaction probably potentiates myocardial ischemia. Medical Hypotheses, 69(2), pp.377-380. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.12.033.

¹⁴ Parle, M. and Dhingra, D. (2003). Ascorbic Acid: a Promising Memory-Enhancer in Mice. Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, 93(2), pp.129-135. DOI: 10.1254/jphs.93.129.

¹⁵ Partanen, T., Vikatmaa, P., Tukiainen, E., Lepäntalo, M. and Vuola, J. (2009). Outcome after Injections of Crushed Tablets in Intravenous Drug Abusers in the Helsinki University Central Hospital. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 37(6), pp.704-711. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejvs.2009.01.016.

¹⁶ Chen, J.P., Barron, C., Lin, K.M., and Chung, H. (2002). Prescribing medication for Asians with mental disorders. Western Journal of Medicine, 176(4), pp.271--275.

¹⁷ Volkow, N.D., Wang, G.J., Fowler, J.S., Hitzemann, R., Gatley, S.J., Dewey, S.S., Pappas, N. (1998). Enhanced sensitivity to benzodiazepines in active cocaine-abusing subjects: a PET study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(2), pp.200-6.

¹⁸ Verster, J. and Volkerts, E. (2006). Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Efficacy, and Behavioral Toxicity of Alprazolam: A Review of the Literature. CNS Drug Reviews, 10(1), pp.45-76. DOI: 10.1111/j.1527-3458.2004.tb00003.x.

¹⁹ Haque, W., Watson, D.J., Bryant, S.G. (1990). Death following suspected alprazolam withdrawal seizures: a case report. Texas Medicine, 86(1), pp.44-7.

²⁰ Barker, M., Greenwood, K., Jackson, M. and Crowe, S. (2004). Cognitive Effects of Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use. CNS Drugs, 18(1), pp.37-48. DOI: 10.2165/00023210-200418010-00004.

²¹ Takada, M., Fujimoto, M. and Hosomi, K. (2016). Association between Benzodiazepine Use and Dementia: Data Mining of Different Medical Databases. International Journal of Medical Sciences, 13(11), pp.825-834. DOI: 10.7150/ijms.16185.

²² Harnod, T., Wang, Y. and Kao, C. (2015). Association Between Benzodiazepine Use and Epilepsy Occurrence. Medicine, 94(37), p.e1571. DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000001571.

²³ Riss, J., Cloyd, J., Gates, J. and Collins, S. (2008). Benzodiazepines in epilepsy: pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 118(2), pp.69-86. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2008.01004.x.

²⁴ Kadoi, C., Hayasaka, S., Tsukamoto, E., Matsumoto, M., Hayasaka, Y. and Nagaki, Y. (2000). Bilateral Angle Closure Glaucoma and Visual Loss Precipitated by Antidepressant and Antianxiety Agents in a Patient with Depression. Ophthalmologica, 214(5), pp.360-361. DOI: 10.1159/000027521.

²⁵ Begleiter, H. and Kissin, B. (1996). The Pharmacology of Alcohol and Alcohol Dependence. New York: Oxford University Press, p.128.

²⁶ Ramsey-Williams, V., Wu, Y. and Rosenberg, H. (1994). Comparison of anticonvulsant tolerance, crosstolerance, and benzodiazepine receptor binding following chronic treatment with diazepam or midazolam. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 48(3), pp.765-772. DOI: 10.1016/0091-3057(94)90344-1.

²⁷ Høiseth, G., Andås, H., Bachs, L. and Mørland, J. (2014). Impairment due to amphetamines and benzodiazepines, alone and in combination. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 145, pp.174-179. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.10.013.

Put your brand in front of thousands monthly and support the growth of harm reduction.