Editing Flunitrazepam (section)

===Recreational and illegal uses===
[[File:Hypnodorm.jpg|thumb|Hypnodorm 1 mg flunitrazepam tablets, Australia]]
[[File:rohypnol2.jpg|thumb|Rohypnol]]

====Recreational use====
A 1989 article in the ''[[European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology]]'' reports that benzodiazepines accounted for 52% of prescription forgeries in [[Sweden]], suggesting that benzodiazepines were a major prescription drug class of abuse. [[Nitrazepam]] accounted for 13% of forged prescriptions, and accounted for 44% of forgeries specifically for benzodiazepines while flunitrazepam, diazepam, and oxazepam accounted for the majority of the rest of benzodiazepine forgeries. Prescription forgeries for other benzodiazepines marketed in Sweden (alprazolam, clonazepam, lorazepam, clobazam, and bromazepam) were negligible. When calculated in relation to utilization, the narcotic analgesics codeine, pentazocine, and ketobemidone were at the top of the list for the highest number of overall prescription forgeries, suggesting a higher abuse potential of these drugs.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Bergman U, Dahl-Puustinen ML | title = Use of prescription forgeries in a drug abuse surveillance network | journal = European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology | volume = 36 | issue = 6 | pages = 621–623 | date = November 1989 | pmid = 2776820 | doi = 10.1007/BF00637747 | s2cid = 19770310 }}</ref> In neighboring [[Finland]], temazepam accounts for roughly 40–50% benzodiazepine prescription forgeries annually, while flunitrazepam accounts for approximately ~15% of benzodiazepine prescription forgeries.<ref name="Europedrugs">{{cite web|title=Classification of controlled drugs|url=http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/html.cfm/index146601EN.html|publisher=EMCDDA|access-date=30 June 2022}}</ref>

Flunitrazepam and other sedative hypnotic drugs are detected frequently in cases of people suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. Other benzodiazepines and nonbenzodiazepines ([[anxiolytic]] or [[hypnotic]]) such as [[zolpidem]] and [[zopiclone]] (as well as [[cyclopyrrolones]], [[imidazopyridine]]s, and [[pyrazolopyrimidine]]s) are also found in high numbers of suspected drugged drivers. Many drivers have blood levels far exceeding the therapeutic dose range, suggesting a high degree of [[abuse potential|potential for addiction]] for benzodiazepines and similar drugs.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Jones AW, Holmgren A, Kugelberg FC | title = Concentrations of scheduled prescription drugs in blood of impaired drivers: considerations for interpreting the results | journal = Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | volume = 29 | issue = 2 | pages = 248–260 | date = April 2007 | pmid = 17417081 | doi = 10.1097/FTD.0b013e31803d3c04 | s2cid = 25511804 }}</ref>

====Suicide====
In studies in Sweden, flunitrazepam was the second most common drug used in suicides, being found in about 16% of cases.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Jonasson B, Jonasson U, Saldeen T | title = Among fatal poisonings dextropropoxyphene predominates in younger people, antidepressants in the middle aged and sedatives in the elderly | journal = Journal of Forensic Sciences | volume = 45 | issue = 1 | pages = 7–10 | date = January 2000 | pmid = 10641912 | doi = 10.1520/JFS14633J }}</ref> In a retrospective Swedish study of 1,587 deaths, in 159 cases benzodiazepines were found. In suicides when benzodiazepines were implicated, the benzodiazepines flunitrazepam and nitrazepam occurred in significantly higher concentrations compared to natural deaths. Of the 159 deaths where any benzodiazepines were found, 4 deaths were caused by benzodiazepines alone (in the other 155 cases, benzodiazepines were combined with something else). One conclusion of the study was that flunitrazepam and nitrazepam might be more toxic than other benzodiazepines available in the Swedish market.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ericsson HR, Holmgren P, Jakobsson SW, Lafolie P, De Rees B | title = [Benzodiazepine findings in autopsy material. A study shows interacting factors in fatal cases] | journal = Läkartidningen | volume = 90 | issue = 45 | pages = 3954–3957 | date = November 1993 | pmid = 8231567 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Drummer OH, Syrjanen ML, Cordner SM | title = Deaths involving the benzodiazepine flunitrazepam | journal = The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology | volume = 14 | issue = 3 | pages = 238–243 | date = September 1993 | pmid = 8311057 | doi = 10.1097/00000433-199309000-00012 | s2cid = 28937806 }}</ref>

====Drug-facilitated sexual assault====
{{Main|Drug facilitated sexual assault}}
Flunitrazepam is known to induce [[anterograde amnesia]] in sufficient doses; individuals are unable to remember certain events that they experienced while under the influence of the drug, which complicates investigations.<ref>{{cite news | vauthors = Liljesson S | date = 3 June 1999 |url= http://drugnews.nu/article.asp?id=199 |title=Bankrånare stärkte sig med Rohypnol?|publisher=DrugNews |access-date=May 19, 2006|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070929165033/http://drugnews.nu/article.asp?id=199|archive-date=September 29, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/index.jsp?d=737&a=116288|title=Mijailovic var påverkad av våldsdrog|newspaper=Expressen}}</ref>  This effect could be particularly dangerous if flunitrazepam is used to aid in the commission of [[sexual assault]]; victims may be unable to clearly recall the assault, the assailant, or the events surrounding the assault.<ref name=Kiss2016/>

While use of flunitrazepam in sexual assault has been prominent in the media, as of 2015 it appears to be fairly rare, and use of alcohol and other benzodiazepine drugs in date rape appears to be a larger but underreported problem.<ref name=EU/>

In a 2001 study, the benzodiazepines [[midazolam]] and [[temazepam]] were the two most common benzodiazepines utilized for date rape.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = El-Sohly MA, Lee LF, Holzhauer LB, Salamone SJ | editor-first1 = Salvatore J. | editor-last1 = Salamone | chapter = Analysis of Urine Samples in Cases of Alleged Sexual Assault | title = Benzodiazepines and GHB | series = Forensic Science and Medicine | year = 2001 | pages = 127–144 | publisher = Humana Press |doi=10.1007/978-1-59259-109-1 |isbn=1-59259-109-4 |chapter-url = https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-59259-109-1_7}}</ref>

====Drug-facilitated robbery====
In the United Kingdom, the use of flunitrazepam and other "date rape" drugs have also been connected to stealing from sedated victims. An activist quoted by a British newspaper estimated that up to 2,000 individuals are robbed each year after being spiked with powerful sedatives,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/crime/article/0,2763,1376956,00.html |work=The Guardian |location=London |title='Rape drug' used to rob thousands | vauthors = Thompson T |date=December 19, 2004 |access-date=May 2, 2010}}</ref> making drug-assisted robbery a more commonly reported problem than drug-assisted rape.