Drug trends
Benzodiazepines have been widely misused in New Zealand, although only recently have use trends been documented.
According to the latest Drug Use in New Zealand Survey 2007/2008 published in 2009: 2.2 percent of all adults aged 16 to 64 years had used prescription sedatives for recreational purposes at some point in their lifetime. This equates to about 57,200 people in New Zealand.
- Overall, 0.6 percent of adults aged 16 to 64 years had used in the last 12 months, equating to about 16,100 people, with 59 percent of those using at least weekly in the past year.
- A third had first used when they were aged 21-years or older, with men significantly more likely to have used prescription sedatives for recreational purposes.
- Benzodiazepine use is more common amongst intravenous drug users. Intravenous use of these drugs is associated with a greater frequency of injecting with used needles and other risky injecting behaviour. These users are at greater risk of transmitting disease, poly-drug use and overdose.
- International data suggests that benzodiazepines are amongst the most widely diverted pharmaceutical products destined for illegal markets and misuse.
