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Bromonordiazepam found in ‘Xanax’ sample

Source: CanTEST

Benzodiazepines tested at CanTEST are often not what they were sold as. A white pill sample with ‘Mylan A4’ printed on one side and a cross printed on the other, purchased as Xanax (alprazolam), was actually found to contain bromonordiazepam.

What is Bromonordiazepam? It’s a novel benzodiazepine or “benzo”. Benzos are drugs typically used to sedate and treat anxiety. They’re classified as depressants and can have a very long half-life (72+ hours).

Effects of benzos and how long they last vary widely. They may be short or long acting, which means you must wait longer intervals before using another depressant (72+ hours in some cases) to avoid overdose. Using depressants such as alcohol, GHB or opiates with benzos significantly increases your risk of overdose.

Test your stuff! There’s a high prevalence of novel benzos circulating in the counterfeit market. It can be difficult to visually identify ‘fake’ just from the appearance of a pill. Counterfeit benzos have been known to contain other drugs, including opioids with high overdose risk. Come and see us at CanTEST. CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service is a free, confidential harm reduction service.

Don’t mix it with alcohol or other depressants. Remember, some benzos can have effects 72+ hours after use.

Start low, go slow. Try a test dose first and ask a trusted person to check on you.

Be alert for signs of an overdose. Respiratory depression can lead to unconsciousness and can sound like snoring – check on people to see if you they are really sleeping. Think someone has overdosed? Call 000 for an ambulance immediately.