STREET BENZOS/VALIUM: MSJs, blues, vallies, benzos, scoobies. Harm reduction information

Street Benzos or Street Valium, known as MSPs, blues, vallies, benzos and scoobies, has become a collective term used to describe real, fake, and novel/new benzodiazepines obtained and used without a legitimate prescription.

Benzodiazepines are a group of pharmaceutical drugs. There are many Benzodiazepines. Some, such as diazepam and valium, are prescribed as medicines in the UK. They are generally used to treat anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, and seizures.

Benzodiazepines make you feel drowsy and sleepy. They depress your central nervous system depressants and slow down your heart rate and breathing. You may experience a 'floating' sensation and feel warm, calm, relaxed and tired.

Deaths following the use of benzodiazepines, both on their own and combined with other substances like alcohol and opiates, have been rising in recent years among all age groups.

If you are using street benzos, this harm reduction information will highlight some of the risks and help you make informed decisions.

We use the term 'street benzos' to refer to illicit benzos obtained and used without a prescription. We have broken them down into three sections: Pharmaceutical, fake, and Novel and new benzodiazepines (NPS).

Pharmaceutical benzodiazepines

Pharmaceutical benzodiazepines are manufactured under controlled conditions in regulated facilities, meaning the contents are safe, accurate, and consistent.

Obtained with a prescription and used under the supervision of a GP, or health professional, they will typically be supplied in blister packs or medicine bottles and contain information around dosage and side effects.

Fake benzodiazepines

Fake benzodiazepines are made to look like legitimate medicines. Manufacturers will often produce pills and capsules which have the same shape, colour, size and markings as the real thing.

They can contain no active ingredients or the wrong type or amount of active ingredient and cause serious harm, illness or overdose.

Fake drugs can sometimes come in poor quality packaging, lacking medical information, and poorly made pills or capsules.

Novel and new benzodiazepines (NPS) - designer drugs

Remember the days when we had so-called legal highs before they were made illegal in 2016 by the Psychoactive Substances Act? Well, guess what - they are still around.

The supply has increased in line with demand; only now you have to obtain them illegally.

Many NPS benzos contain Etizolam, Phenazepam, Diclazepam, Flubromazolam, Flubromazepam, alprazolam (also known as 'Xanax') - none are licensed in the UK, and some are class C drugs.

They normally come as pills and are commonly referred to as MSJs, blues, vallies, benzos, scoobies - or are mis-sold as diazepam.

They can often be referred to based on their markings, such as: 'Roche 10', 'MSJ', 'T20', 'WW' and 'D10'.

Public Health England has recently (July 2020) issued a warning about pills with similar markings - they warned:

"There is significant evidence from toxicology results of illicit tablets being sold as diazepam, temazepam and alprazolam linked to recent hospitalisations and deaths. This includes tablets known as and/or marked with 'DAN 5620' (on one side) and '10' (on the other), 'T-20', 'TEM 20', 'Bensedin' and 'MSJ'. These may contain dangerously potent benzodiazepines or their analogues [chemicals which have a similar effect to benzodiazepines] such as flualprazolam and etizolam. Most of the tablets causing concern are blue (but they come in various colours) and these may stain people's mouths".

How are benzodiazepines supplied?

The only legal way to obtain benzodiazepines is with a prescription and from a legitimate pharmacy. But they can be obtained in other ways.

Some benzodiazepines are supplied by people who sell on their legitimate supply; other supplies are 'diverted' from the factories that make them or from chemist burglaries.

Some drug dealers will supply benzodiazepines alongside more established illegal drugs.

An increasingly popular way to obtain illicit benzodiazepines is online, either in bulk through the so-called dark web, using social media and encrypted messaging apps, such as Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Wickr, or through bogus online pharmacies.

It can be difficult to distinguish between registered online pharmacies and other commercial websites. The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) operates an internet pharmacy logo scheme to identify legitimate online pharmacies.

Harm reduction Advice

Do not take large amounts. Start low and slow. You can't be sure if what you are taking this time is the same as last time. Take a small amount and give it time to work before you take more.
Do not use it on your own. But if you do, let someone know and ask them to check on you.
Do not use regularly/daily. Leave it for a week; give yourself a break to get over it. Otherwise, you will get addicted.
Do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. But if you do, tell your doctor.
Do not drive or operate machinery - if you do, you will have an accident.
Do not take the day before your driving test/go to work/school – leave it for Saturday night.
Do not mix with alcohol or other sedative drugs - JUST DON'T! But if you do, look after each other.
Do not inject - JUST DON'T! But if you do - don't share, take care!
Do not stop abruptly - but if you do, be prepared for withdrawals. Talk to your GP or a health professional. Tell them what you have been taking, so they can help reduce your use.