Benzodiazepines

drug-info-benzodiazepine

Benzodiazepnes are often medically classified as sedatives/hypnotic (inducing sleep) or anxiolytics (relieving anxiety). Other medical uses include treatment of epilepsy, as a muscle relaxant, alcohol withdrawal, or as an anaesthetic before surgery. non-medical uses include becoming intoxicated, substituting/enhancing the effects of opiates, and counteracting the effects of other drugs.

  1. What it is

    Benzodiazepines work as a central nervous system depressant. They have anxiolytic (anxiety relieving) and hypnotic/sedative (sleep inducing) properties.

  2. Health effects

    Short-term effects
    Medically benzodiazepines are intended to be prescribed for a period not exceeding one month (depending on the type of benzodiazepine used, its strength and the condition being treated) with a view to avoiding the development of tolerance and withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation.

  3. Dependence, addiction and overdose risk

    Benzodiazepines dependence can be both psychological and physical. Benzodiazepines are also well known for causing rapid tolerance to their effects leading many users to require substantially increased amounts in order to achieve their desired results.

  4. Law and penalities

    On 1 January 1999 benzodiazepines were reclassified as controlled drugs under the third schedule, Class C, Part 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, and are no longer scheduled under the Medicines Regulation Act 1984.

  5. Drug trends

    Benzodiazepine trends in New Zealand have only recently been followed and no significant trends have been documented as yet.

  6. Reducing the harm

    The Drug Foundation’s message is clear: no drug use is the safest drug use. We also realise that there will be occasions when people ignore warnings and use drugs in a dangerous manner.  Thus, in order to keep New Zealand’s communities safe, we provide information about proven methods of drug harm minimisation.

  7. How to get help

    There are a number of treatment organisations that can help. If you feel that you or anyone you know needs help, then you can call these services in strict confidence.

  8. Links

    HealthAtoz family health website. www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/benzodiazepines.jsp

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