Benzodiazepines are responsible for more drug overdose deaths than oxycodone, codeine and fentanyl. Benzodiazepines were involved in more drug-induced deaths in 2016 than heroin and methadone combined, but you would be hard-pressed to find any stories warning of their dangers on the front pages. Benzodiazepines are the single most common substance found in drug overdose deaths Nearly 6 million scripts for the anti-anxiety drug were handed out through the PBS in 2018-19 Patients are regularly prescribed the drug for longer than the recommended 2-4 weeks According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the sleeping and anti-anxiety pills were the most common single substance found in overdose deaths, ahead of opioids oxycodone and codeine and powerful narcotics like fentanyl. "I have very grave concerns about the levels of benzodiazepine use in Australia," Trent Zimmerman, chair of the House of Representatives Health Committee, told 7.30. "There’s been a lot of focus […]