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Managing benzodiazepine dependence arising from use of the adulterated opioid supply: a commentary
Gurkiran Parmar1, Nicole Malette2, Josey Ross1
1BC Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Abstract:
The growing presence of benzodiazepine-adulterated opioids in the unregulated drug supply poses significant challenges for clinicians treating people with opioid use disorder. This commentary highlights key areas of uncertainty and emerging agreement on screening, risk assessment, withdrawal timelines, and treatment approaches for individuals using benzodiazepine-adulterated opioids. It also identifies gaps in community-based support, the effectiveness of drug checking, and the role of medications for opioid use disorder in managing opioid-benzodiazepine withdrawal. Together, these scenarios demonstrate rapidly evolving challenges and the need to refine clinical practices in order to improve care for individuals affected by the evolving unregulated drug supply.
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