Assessment of the Availability, Cost, and Motivations for Use over Time of the New Psychoactive Substances-Benzodiazepines Diclazepam, Flubromazepam, and Pyrazolam-in the UK.

Autor: Abouchedid R; Emergency Department, Austin Hospital, 145 Studley Rd., Heidelberg, VIC, 3056, Australia. rachelle.abouchedid@gmail.com., Gilks T; Undergraduate Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada., Dargan PI; Clinical Toxicology Department, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's Health Partners, London, UK.; King's College London, London, UK., Archer JRH; Clinical Toxicology Department, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's Health Partners, London, UK.; King's College London, London, UK., Wood DM; Clinical Toxicology Department, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's Health Partners, London, UK.; King's College London, London, UK.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of medical toxicology : official journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology [J Med Toxicol] 2018 Jun; Vol. 14 (2), pp. 134-143. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Apr 18.
DOI: 10.1007/s13181-018-0659-3
Abstrakt: Introduction: There has been increasing interest in the availability of non-prescription benzodiazepines and their sale as new psychoactive substances. We wanted to determine UK availability from Internet suppliers and motivations for use of three benzodiazepines (diclazepam, flubromazepam, and pyrazolam).
Methods: In November 2014 and March 2016, using the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction Snapshot Methodology, Internet search engines ( google.co.uk , uk. yahoo.com and ask.com.uk ) were searched using the terms 'buy diclazepam', 'buy flubromazepam' and 'buy pyrazolam'. Threads from drug-user forums ( bluelight.org , drugs-forum.com , erowid.org , legalhighsforum.com ) were analysed using a general inductive approach. Data were converted into price per gram/pellet to allow cost comparisons and to determine motivations for use.
Results: There was an increase in websites selling these benzodiazepines between 2014 and 2016: diclazepam (49 in 2014 to 55 in 2016), pyrazolam (33 to 35), and flubromazepam (39 to 45). Thirty-eight (63.3%) sites were based in the UK/Europe. Drugs were sold as pellets (49 websites, 81.7%), powder (19, 31.7%), and blotters (1, 1.7%). Pill forms were not available, and one (1.7%) website sold diclazepam/flubromazepam in liquid form. The cost reduced with increasing purchase quantities. Main motivations for use included anxiolysis, management of benzodiazepine withdrawal, sedation/sleep aid, and management of stimulant withdrawal.
Conclusions: These three benzodiazepines are widely available online, most commonly as pellets, and are (mis)used for a number of reasons. This study could be used to support triangulation of data from other sources to inform harm minimisation strategies.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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