Benzodiazepines are a widely prescribed group of medicines with a range of clinical uses that include treating anxiety, insomnia, acute muscle spasms and managing alcohol withdrawal.However, this group of medicines are often used outside of prescribing recommendations. They can be used by people, including those accessing addiction and homeless services, as part of a poly drug use culture in Ireland. Like all medicines, benzodiazepines can produce side effects. They are also dangerous if mixed with other substances, particularly depressant type drugs such as opioids or alcohol.

Over the last decade, of concern is the emergence of ‘new’ benzodiazepines with an increase in the number, type and availability. The EU Early Warning System has detected an increasing number of ‘new’ benzodiazepines available on Europe’s drug market. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is currently monitoring 28 new benzodiazepines. Some 23 of these have been first detected in Europe over the last 5 years. Some of the benzodiazepines new to the EU market may be called ‘designer’ or ‘novel’. Some may have been approved for use in some countries in the past, others may be found in patent literature but were never been brought to market, whereas some are novel compounds produced in illicit manufacturing plants often in the Far East.

[See also, drugs.ie feature - Benzodiazepines]