Abuse liability of flunitrazepam among methadone maintained patients

Abuse liability and acute subjective and psychomotor effects of flunitrazep am were assessed in ten methadone-maintained males with history of benzodia zepine and alcohol use, who voluntarily participated in a double-blind, con trolled, cross-over, randomized clinical trial. There were six experimental sessions in which a single oral dose of flunitrazepam 1, 2, and 4 mg; tria zolam 0.5 and 0.75 mg; and placebo was given. Evaluations included physiolo gical measures; psychomotor performance tasks (simple reaction time, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, balance task, Maddox-wing device); and self-admin istered subjective effects questionnaires [Addiction Research Center Invent ory (ARCI), Profile of Mood States (POMS), a series of visual analog scales (VAS)]. All drugs but flunitrazepam 1 mg caused an impairment of psychomot or tasks. Effects were more evident with the highest doses of both drugs. O nly flunitrazepam 4 mg produced a significant decrease in balance time. Tri azolam 0.75 mg induced increases in sedation measured by ARCI-PCAG, depress ion in POMS, and VAS-drowsiness scores. Flunitrazepam 4 mg caused euphoria- related effects as measured by increases in ARCI-MBG and "high" scores in t he VAS. Our findings of flunitrazepam-induced euphoria in methadone-maintai ned subjects together with epidemiological evidence of flunitrazepam abuse by opioid dependents, suggest that it may be included in the group of benzo diazepines with a relatively high abuse potential.