{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T12:26:17Z","timestamp":1792585577720,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,6,21]],"date-time":"2020-06-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1592697600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brit J Clinical Pharma"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Aims<\/jats:title><jats:p>To estimate prevalence of last 12\u2010month nonmedical use (NMU) of benzodiazepines and Z\u2010drugs (the nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics zaleplon, zolpidem and zopiclone) in the UK.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Data were collected using the Non\u2010Medical Use of Prescription Drugs survey with poststratification weighting applied to be representative of the UK population (\u226516 years). Participants were questioned about whether they had nonmedically used benzodiazepines and\/or Z\u2010drugs in the last 12\u2010months and from where they had obtained the drug (including via a prescription, or illicitly from a friend\/family member, a dealer or via the internet). Additional questions were asked about last 12\u2010month use of illicit drugs (cannabis, cocaine, 3,4\u2010methylenedioxymethylamphetamine [MDMA], non\u2010pharmaceutical amphetamine, <jats:italic>crack cocaine<\/jats:italic> and\/or heroin).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The study included 10 006 eligible participants representing approximately 52 927 000 UK adults. The estimated prevalence of past 12\u2010month NMU of any benzodiazepine and\/or Z\u2010drug was 1.2% (95% confidence interval: 1.0\u20131.5) corresponding to approximately 635 000 adults; amongst this group only an estimated 4.6% (1.2\u20138.0) had NMU of both a benzodiazepine and a Z\u2010drug. The highest prevalence of NMU for only Z\u2010drugs was among those who had used heroin in the last 12\u2010months (5.4%, 2.7\u201310.5), whilst the highest prevalence of NMU for only benzodiazepines was among those who had used illicit stimulants in the last 12\u2010months: cocaine (5.9%, 3.8\u20138.9), amphetamine (5.6%, 3.1\u201310.0) and MDMA (5.2%, 3.1\u20138.8). The drug non\u2010medically used was more commonly acquired without than with a prescription for both only benzodiazepines (70.2%, 59.4\u201381.1 compared to 51.3%, 41.5\u201364.6) and only Z\u2010drugs (75.6%, 61.6\u201389.7 compared to 33.9%, 16.9\u201351.0).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>There is little overlap between benzodiazepine and Z\u2010drug NMU suggesting distinct nonmedical use of the drugs; future studies need to explore whether this relates to personal preference, drug availability or other factors. A significant proportion are acquiring these drugs for NMU without a prescription, so without guidance and monitoring from a medical practitioner. While the dangers of mixing benzodiazepines and heroin\/other opioids are well documented, there is a paucity of data regarding concomitant NMU of benzodiazepines and stimulant drugs, or NMU of Z\u2010drugs and opioids, and, given the prevalence of these combinations, this requires further investigation.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/bcp.14397","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,5,30]],"date-time":"2020-05-30T15:15:22Z","timestamp":1590851722000},"page":"1676-1683","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":31,"title":["Nonmedical use of benzodiazepines and Z\u2010drugs in the UK"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"87","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3361-7598","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joanna","family":"Hockenhull","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Toxicology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust  London UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joshua C.","family":"Black","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rocky Mountain Poison &amp; Drug Safety, Denver Health and Hospital Authority  Denver CO USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Colleen M.","family":"Haynes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rocky Mountain Poison &amp; Drug Safety, Denver Health and Hospital Authority  Denver CO USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karilynn","family":"Rockhill","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rocky Mountain Poison &amp; Drug Safety, Denver Health and Hospital Authority  Denver CO USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul I.","family":"Dargan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Toxicology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust  London UK"},{"name":"Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine King's College London  London UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Richard C.","family":"Dart","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Rocky Mountain Poison &amp; Drug Safety, Denver Health and Hospital Authority  Denver CO USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7826-7237","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David M.","family":"Wood","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Toxicology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust  London UK"},{"name":"Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine King's College London  London UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,6,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_10_2_1","unstructured":"United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).World Drug Report2018.https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/wdr2018\/index.htmlAccessed: 2020\u201003\u201024"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_3_1","unstructured":"International Narcotics Control Board.Annual Report2006.http:\/\/www.incb.org\/incb\/en\/publications\/annual-reports\/annual-report-2006.htmlAccessed: 2020\u201003\u201024"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.39140.394410.DB"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_5_1","unstructured":"United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).Global Smart Update: Non\u2010medical use of benzodiazepines: a growing threat to public health?2017.https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/documents\/scientific\/Global_SMART_Update_2017_Vol_18.pdfAccessed: 2020\u201003\u201024"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_6_1","volume-title":"Dependence and withdrawal associated with some prescribed medicines: an evidence review","author":"Taylor S","year":"2019"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3399\/bjgp17X691865"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_8_1","unstructured":"EMCDDA.The misuse of benzodiazepines among high\u2010risk opioid users in Europe (Perspectives on drugs) June2018. 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