Route 961 has monitored reports from law enforcement across the Midwest of a rise in the use of designer benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are prescribed to treat anxiety, epilepsy, sleep disorders, depression, and other psychological disorders. Commonly prescribed benzodiazepine drugs are alprazolam (trade name Xanax), diazepam (trade name Valium), and many other prescription drugs with the name of the drug ending in "lam" or "pam".
Like many other Novel Psychedelic Substances (NPS), chemists find designer benzodiazepine makeup in published medical journals. Chemists working for criminal drug trafficking organizations will manufacture designer drugs using the published research as a recipe. Chemists produce designer drugs in overseas laboratories or illicit clandestine laboratories in the United States. Some NPS are not regulated or controlled substances in the United States and other countries, so these drugs are legal to possess and distribute to avoid criminal prosecution.
Criminal drug trafficking organizations may sell designer benzodiazepines in drug transactions as real Xanax or as other legitimate benzodiazepines. They also use benzodiazepines as a cutting agent in heroin or other illicit drugs as a cost-saving measure to increase the potency of the drugs sold to the end-user. Drug users can order designer benzodiazepines on the dark web or other unscrupulous websites based overseas.
Most designer benzodiazepines were developed as research chemicals and have no legitimate medical purpose or are not safe for human consumption. Proper administration of benzodiazepines in a legitimate medical setting occurs with monitoring from a physician or psychiatrist. The drug is administered in the lowest dose possible to achieve the desired effect, and the benzodiazepine is usually not prescribed for an extended duration. Sudden discontinuation of benzodiazepines, especially when taken in high doses for prolonged periods, can lead to seizures and be life-threatening.
The use of designer benzodiazepines takes place outside of a legitimate medical setting and not under a medical professional's direction. Designer drugs aren't subject to quality control standards. Many designer benzodiazepines are more potent than their legitimate counterparts or are combined intentionally or unintentionally with other drugs. The amount of the drug in each dosage unit will not be consistent. Administration of designer benzodiazepines without a medical professional determining a proper dosage will result in a high level of impairment or overdose. Benzodiazepine overdoses are a leading cause of accidental drug overdoses in the United States and often occur when benzodiazepines are combined with other drugs, such as alcohol or opiates.
The following are designer benzodiazepines discovered by law enforcement over the past year, along with a summary of each. The drug scheduling listed is current as of 12/01/2020.
Flualprazolam: law enforcement in WI have discovered this benzodiazepine in powder form. As of July 2019, drug testing of suspected impaired drivers at the WI State Laboratory of Hygiene reported this drug has shown up in approximately 15% of specimens. According to NMS Labs, Flualprazolam is structurally related to Xanax and is currently not scheduled by the DEA. There are reports of adolescents who consumed what they thought were commercial Xanax tablets but then suffered medical emergencies with signs of lethargy, slurred speech, and respiratory depression. The state of Wisconsin listed Flualprazolam as a controlled substance in October 2020 under emergency scheduling; see WI SS# 961.20(2)(ef).
Etizolam: according to a DEA Diversion publication from March 2020, Etizolam is currently a prescription medication in Japan, India, and Italy for sleep and anxiety disorders in .25mg, .5mg, and 1.0mg tablets for clinical use. Etizolam emerged as an illicit and recreational drug in Europe and the United States and is found in tablets, powder form, or spiked onto blotter paper. Clinical studies showed it was ten times as potent as diazepam. Etizolam absorbs into the body quickly with maximum plasma concentrations occurring within 0.5-2.0 hours, and the mean half-life was 3.4 hours. Etizolam isn't currently controlled under the Controlled Substance Act and is not listed under the Wisconsin Uniform Controlled Substances Act. Some states have listed Etizolam as a Schedule I or IV drug.
Clonazolam: A quick internet search for Clonazolam brought up unscrupulous websites for its sale and references to its use and intoxication. Clonazolam is an NPS, and a derivative of FDA approved drugs clonazepam and alprazolam. Psychonaut Wiki and other websites describe Clonazolam as 2.5 times more potent than alprazolam. Clonazolam poses more significant risks than other benzodiazepines due to its high potency, with strong sedation and amnesia in oral doses of 0.5mg and reports of overdoses in amounts greater than 1.0mg. Clonazolam is found in liquid solutions and blotter paper. Psychonaut Wiki advises consuming the powder form of Clonazolam is unsafe due to its "microgram-range potency and the ease in which it can lead to multi-day blackouts." Clonazolam isn't currently controlled under the Controlled Substance Act. It is also not listed under the Wisconsin Uniform Controlled Substances Act but is a Schedule I controlled substance in a few states.
Flubromazolam: DEA Diversion lists Flubromazolam as a designer benzodiazepine with no accepted medical use in the United States. Flubromazolam binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain with high affinity and efficacy. Flubromazolam has prolonged impairment and is a long-acting benzodiazepine. One study reported a re-emergence of sedative effects 30 hours after Flubromazolam ingestion. Flubromazolam isn't currently controlled under the Controlled Substance Act and is not listed under the Wisconsin Uniform Controlled Substances Act.
For DRE/ARIDE trained law enforcement or our DITEP trained civilian partners, subjects under the influence of designer benzodiazepines will likely exhibit a high level of CNS-Depressant – the users will appear under the influence of alcohol without the smell. Expect designer benzodiazepine users to exhibit Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (all six clues and Vertical Gaze Nystagmus are likely possible) and Lack of Convergence. They will exhibit divided attention and physical impairment on field sobriety tests, poor coordination, slurred speech, disorientation, stumbling, and other CNS-Depressant signs of impairment.
Route 961 did not find any reports of designer benzodiazepines used to facilitate sexual assaults. However, law enforcement and our civilian partners working in sensitive crime support organizations should not rule out the possibility designer benzodiazepines would be used in that capacity. Benzodiazepines have a dark history as a drug used in "date rape" crimes. The most notable illicit benzodiazepine used in sexual assaults is flunitrazepam (trade name, Rohypnol, aka "roofies").
Expect criminal drug trafficking chemists to develop new and more Novel Psychedelic Substances, including designer benzodiazepines. To learn more about current drug trends, check out Route 961's list of courses in our link here: https://route961training.com/courses/.
Sources: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/flualp.pdf, https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/etizolam.pdf, https://psychonautwiki.org/wiki/Clonazolam, https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/flubromazolam.pdf