Bromazolam is Surging With Fentanyl: What is this "New" Drug?
Bromazolam started popping up in crime labs in 2020. You can see two prior articles I've written about with this drug here and here. Bromazolam (also known by the name XLI-268) was first synthesized in 1976, but it was never marketed. This is how most Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) come to the market. It is often referred to as patent piracy. A chemist in China will find the drug in old research papers and then manufacture it in China and sell it on the open web. This skirts the United States Controlled Substances Act and there are no criminal penalties for those in possession of the drug. The formal name for this new drug is 8-bromo-1-methyl-6-phenyl-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepine.
What is Bromazolam?
Bromazolam is a benzodiazepine that is typically used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It is also sometimes used to treat seizures. Bromazolam is now being used as a "booster" with fentanyl. Mexican DTO's are adding Bromazolam to fentanyl so that the user's high is more intense.
What are the Risks of Bromazolam?
Since Bromazolam is being added to fentanyl, a lot of it is being injected by users. Injected benzodiazepines often cause severe tissue damage. You can see some of that damage in the photo below.
What is the Legal Status of Bromazolam?
Bromazolam is currently legal in the United States. It may be placed under schedule schedule I by the DEA under emergency scheduling.
Is Bromazolam addictive?
Bromazolam can be addictive, and users may be at risk for developing an addiction to it.