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Given
the millions of prescriptions written for benzodiazepines
(about 100 million in 1999), relatively few individuals
increase their dose on their own initiative or engage
in drug-seeking behavior. Those individuals who
do abuse benzodiazepines often maintain their drug
supply by getting prescriptions from several doctors,
forging prescriptions, or buying diverted pharmaceutical
products on the illicit market. Concurrent use of
alcohol or other depressant; with benzodiazepines
can be life threatening. Abuse of benzodiazepines
is particularly high among heroin and cocaine abusers.
A large percentage of people entering treatment
for narcotic or cocaine addiction also report abusing
benzodiazepines. Alprazolam and diazepam are the
two most frequently encountered benzodiazepines
on the illicit market.
Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol®) is a benzodiazepine
that is not manufactured or legally marketed in
the United States, but is smuggled in by traffickers.
NEWLY MARKED
DRUGS:
Zolpidem (Ambien®) and zaleplon (Sonata®)
are two relatively new, benzodiazepine-like CNS
depressants that have been approved for the short-term
treatment of insomnia.
Source: DEA |
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