Phenazepam abuse in Finland: Findings from apprehended drivers, post-mortem cases and police confiscations

The data show that phenazepam abuse is a widespread phenomenon in Finland. A typical user was a male multi-drug user in his 30 s. The concentration range of phenazepam among apprehended drivers and medico-legal autopsy cases was wide and the drug was usually found along with other psychoactive drugs. Therefore, although it seems likely that phenazepam contributed to impairment of driving in some DUID cases, the extent of its effect remains unclear and further studies are needed to define the concentrations causing impairment and toxicity.