Addendum to ACMD’s report on novel benzodiazepines
Updated 16 November 2020
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On 29 April 2020 the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) published its review of evidence of use and harms of novel benzodiazepines.
As there are no known legitimate uses for the three benzodiazepines recommended to be placed in Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, the ACMD has further recommended an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2015.
Revised recommendation
The ACMD recommends that the following substances are classified under Class C of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, like other classified benzodiazepines, and placed under Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (as amended) because they have no medicinal use:
- 8-chloro-6-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3- a][1,4]benzodiazepine (flualprazolam)
- 6-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-8-nitro-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3- a][1,4]benzodiazepine (flunitrazolam)
- 7-chloro-5-(2-fluorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one (norfludiazepam)
As these three benzodiazepines have no known legitimate medicinal uses, the ACMD further recommends that they are added to Part 1, Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2015.
Owing to the absence of asymmetric centres or functional groups that can form esters or ethers, there are no structural derivatives that will need to be considered in this legislation for the above three compounds.
Leads: Home Office, Drugs and Alcohol Unit
Measure of outcome: The inclusion of the 3 compounds under Class C of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 and Part 1, Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (England, Wales and Scotland) Order 2015.