Abouchedid Rachelle, Gilks Thea, Dargan Paul I, Archer John R H, Wood David M
Emergency Department, Austin Hospital, 145 Studley Rd., Heidelberg, VIC, 3056, Australia.
Undergraduate Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
J Med Toxicol. 2018 Jun;14(2):134-143. doi: 10.1007/s13181-018-0659-3. Epub 2018 Apr 18.
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).
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.
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.
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.
非处方苯二氮䓬类药物的可得性及其作为新型精神活性物质的销售情况越来越受到关注。我们想确定英国互联网供应商处这三种苯二氮䓬类药物（地西泮、氟溴西泮和吡唑仑）的可得性以及使用它们的动机。
在2014年11月和2016年3月，使用欧洲药物和药物成瘾监测中心的快照方法，通过互联网搜索引擎（google.co.uk、uk.yahoo.com和ask.com.uk）搜索“购买地西泮”“购买氟溴西泮”和“购买吡唑仑”等关键词。使用一般归纳法分析来自吸毒者论坛（bluelight.org、drugs-forum.com、erowid.org、legalhighsforum.com）的帖子。数据转换为每克/每粒药丸的价格，以便进行成本比较并确定使用动机。
2014年至2016年期间，销售这些苯二氮䓬类药物的网站有所增加：地西泮（从2014年的49个增加到2016年的55个）、吡唑仑（从33个增加到35个）以及氟溴西泮（从39个增加到45个）。38个（63.3%）网站位于英国/欧洲。药物以药丸（49个网站，81.7%）、粉末（19个，31.7%）和吸墨纸（1个，1.7%）的形式出售。没有片剂形式，有一个（1.7%）网站以液体形式出售地西泮/氟溴西泮。随着购买量增加，成本降低。使用的主要动机包括抗焦虑、苯二氮䓬类药物戒断管理、镇静/助眠以及兴奋剂戒断管理。
这三种苯二氮䓬类药物在网上广泛可得，最常见的形式是药丸，并且因其多种原因被（误）用。本研究可用于支持对来自其他来源的数据进行三角测量，以为危害最小化策略提供信息。
