Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37490407›Full record

ArticleDrug and alcohol review2023

Real or fake? Sourcing and marketing of non-prescribed benzodiazepines amongst two samples of people who regularly use illicit drugs in Australia.

Jodie Grigg, Amy Peacock, Simon Lenton, Caroline Salom, Seraina Agramunt, Natalie Thomas, Tom Lyons, Rachel Sutherland

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Drug and alcohol review, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Observational
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Jodie GriggNational Drug Research Institute and enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0095-9794
Amy PeacockNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-5705-2026
Simon LentonNational Drug Research Institute and enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7013-9812
Caroline SalomInstitute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Seraina AgramuntNational Drug Research Institute and enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
Natalie ThomasInstitute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-3714-7626
Tom LyonsMental Health and Wellbeing Division, Department of Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Rachel SutherlandNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5337-1751
Curtin University · AUThe University of Queensland · AUGovernment of Western Australia Department of Health · AUUniversity of Tasmania · AUUNSW Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThere is concern around non-prescribed benzodiazepine use, particularly with increasing detections of counterfeit products containing high-risk novel compounds. The aims of this study were to investigate how and which non-prescribed benzodiazepines are being sourced; forms, appearance and packaging; and awareness of risks associated with non-prescribed benzodiazepines.

methodsData were collected from a sample of Australians who inject drugs or use ecstasy and/or other illicit stimulants on a monthly or more frequent basis, and who reported past 6-month use of non-prescribed benzodiazepines (n = 235 and n = 250, respectively). Data were collected on source, diversion from a known/trusted prescription, product name and aesthetic characteristics for the last non-prescribed benzodiazepine obtained.

resultsAmongst participants who injected drugs, 71% reported that their last non-prescribed benzodiazepines were diverted from a known/trusted prescription, compared to 59% of participants who used ecstasy/other stimulants. Sourcing via cryptomarkets was rare. Across both samples, the majority reported last obtaining substances sold/marketed as diazepam or alprazolam. Participants sourcing via non-diverted means were twice as likely to obtain alprazolam. Known sourcing of novel compounds was rare. Amongst participants who used ecstasy/other stimulants, 36% reported confidence in the content/dose of non-prescribed benzodiazepines even when the source is unknown. DISCUSSION AND

conclusionsMost participants obtained substances sold as classic/registered benzodiazepines, mostly via diverted prescriptions, with a substantial minority potentially unaware of counterfeits circulating. While diverted use undeniably presents risks, tightening of prescriptions in Australia could inadvertently lead to greater supply of novel benzodiazepines as seen internationally, reinforcing prioritisation of demand and harm reduction strategies.

Indexed as

BenzodiazepinesControlled SubstancesCounterfeit DrugsIllicit DrugsMarketingPatient HarmPatient Medication KnowledgeAdultAlprazolamAustraliaChemical SafetyConsumer Product SafetyDiazepamDrug MisuseDrug PackagingDrugs, GenericAlprazolamBenzodiazepinesControlled SubstancesCounterfeit DrugsDiazepamDrugs, GenericIllicit DrugsN-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetaminebenzodiazepinecounterfeit medicinescryptomarketsdiversionnew psychoactive substances

Identifiers

PMID37490407
PMCPMC10947514
OpenAlexW4385232703

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.