The U.S. experienced a spike in benzodiazepine-related overdoses in 2020, particularly in overdoses that involved illicit benzodiazepines such as etizolam and flubromazolam, according to a study released Aug. 26 by the CDC.
The research team identified three concerning trends: 1) increases in both nonfatal and fatal overdoses involving benzodiazepines and opioids; 2) significant increases in deaths related to illicit benzodiazepines although overdose deaths involving prescription benzodiazepines still far outnumber those involving illicit benzodiazepines; and 3) increases in nonfatal benzodiazepine overdoses not involving opioids.
The study found that from April-June 2019, illicit benzodiazepine-involved overdose deaths increased 21.8 percent, and they increased by 519.6 percent from April-June 2020. During the first six months of 2020, 92.7 percent of benzodiazepine-involved deaths also involved opioids, with 66.7 percent involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl.
Benzodiazepines were involved in 16.8 percent of 41,496 overdose deaths reported by 23 states during January 2019 - June 2020, with opioids involved in 91.4 percent of benzodiazepine-related deaths.
"Because benzodiazepine use is less likely to result in fatal overdose without use of opioids or other depressants, tracking nonfatal benzodiazepine overdoses is critical to tracking benzodiazepine misuse trends," the researchers wrote.