In a letter published in this week’s British Medical Journal (BMJ), it was stated that a drug used in the treatment of neurological diseases like epilepsy and anxiety is being misused by youth in the UK.

The drug is phenazepam. Forensic scientists from the University of Dundee in Scotland have found many such cases and warn that phenazepam could become a popular substitute of methadone for the addicts.

Phenazepam belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs and was developed in 1970 as a treatment for epilepsy, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, insomnia, and anxiety. This psychoactive drug is not currently controlled in the UK, Continental Europe, or the United States, and nowadays prescribed only in the former Soviet Union. However, there is news about its illegal use in Sweden, Finland, and the US.

In 2010, three cases of phenazepam overdose were seen in the East Midlands and six in Scotland, raising concern over its safety. The Scottish Government has issued warnings about phenazepam due to these cases and increased seizures by the police. Taking a note of the current situation, Peter Maskell and colleagues have started regular testing of postmortem blood samples for phenazepam in their forensic toxicology laboratory in Dundee from the end of January 2011. On screening of postmortem blood samples they have been able to find nine cases so far where the blood levels of phenazepam were high.

These cases were males and females, in the age group of 31 to 45; they all had a history of drug abuse. Forensic examination revealed the cause of death as adverse effects of opiates in seven cases and non-drug related causes in two.

These forensic specialists have warned that the use of phenazepam is rising among drug addicts. They also warn that the ready availability of this drug on the internet could make it a substitute for mephedrone or designer drugs.

These forensic scientists have called for physicians to be cognizant of the ready availability and illegal use of phenazepam in the United Kingdom.

“Phenazepam is currently being misused in the UK”
Peter D Maskell, Giorgia De Paoli, L Nitin Seetohul, Derrick J Pounder
BMJ 2011; 343:d4207 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d4207

Written by Barry Windsor