Not Your Regular Xanax

Xanax is a drug that has been used by many people over the past few decades. From helping relieve anxiety to assisting with sleep, Xanax has been prescribed for many purposes. However, there’s an unregulated type of Xanax that has recently caused some controversy.

It was announced this past Monday that Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear had taken emergency action to ban the sale of “designer Xanax,” more specifically, bromazolam. “This deadly drug has no place in our communities, and now we have the tools needed to get it off the street and protect more lives,” stated Beshear in a press release.

Also, 21 attorneys general, led by Kentucky Attorney General Russel Coleman, are urging the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to take steps to ban bromazolam. In a letter to the DEA dated Monday, they stated that “it is increasingly contributing to overdose deaths and posing a growing threat to public health and safety in our states.”

Although it has already been stated that ‘designer Xanax’ is an unregulated drug, it’s important to understand just what it is specifically. This will help to understand what distinguishes it from regular Xanax. First, though, it’s important to understand what Xanax is overall.

What is Xanax?

According to the UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services, “Xanax is a prescription central nervous system (CNS) depressant.” It is prescribed to treat things like panic and sleep disorders. “Xanax is categorized as a benzodiazepine,” the UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services states.

Benzodiazepines work by affecting the central nervous system, primarily through action via gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter. GABA helps reduce the excitability of neurons and essentially calms the brain’s activity. When the substance binds to the GABA receptor, chloride channels in the receptor open. This allows chloride ions to enter the nerve cell. The extra chloride ions make the neuron more negatively charged. This makes it less likely to send a signal and slows down brain activity. This has sedative, muscle-relaxing, and anxiety-reducing effects.

What is ‘Designer Xanax’?

In understanding what designer Xanax is, it’s important to first look at what designer benzodiazepines (DBZDs) and triazolobenzodiazepines (TBZDs) are.

• Designer Benzodiazepines

According to an April 2025 bulletin from the Blue Ridge Poison Center staff, which operates within the UVA Division of Medical Toxicology, designer benzodiazepines (DZBDs) are considered “analogs of pharmaceutical or prescription benzodiazepines” (prescription Xanax). They are substances synthesized to mimic the effects of traditional benzodiazepines. Unlike regular benzodiazepines, DZBDs are often created in secret laboratories or used overseas. They are not authorized in the United States. While these benzodiazepines may have similar effects to their pharmaceutical counterparts, they come with unpredictable purity and potency. There are also adverse effects, mainly due to their unregulated production.

• Triazolobenzodiazepines

Triazolobenzodiazepines, or TBZDs, are considered a subclass of benzodiazepines. The TBZD that the group of 21 attorneys general is fighting against is called bromazolam.

Bromazolam

According to an article published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology titled “The emergence of bromazolam in Jefferson County, AL: a case series,” bromazolam, a designer triazolobenzodiazepine, was first introduced in 1976. However, “the drug was never approved for pharmaceutical use.” It has been concluded that bromazolam has been sought after for the same type of effects achieved from taking Xanax and Valium. This includes things like reducing anxiety, relaxation, and aiding in sleep. However, bromazolam has contributed to controversy, both from its unauthorized use and perceived effects.

Unauthorized Use of Bromazolam

The unauthorized use of bromazolam has been reported to present a challenge regarding the request to ban it. The 21-state coalition presented its opinion on this matter in its letter to the DEA. They indicated that because bromazolam is unscheduled, it creates problems for those responding to this issue. “Without scheduling, this drug continues to evade traditional regulatory and prosecutorial tools,” they said. This hinders interaction efforts and enables continued distribution through illicit channels.

Negative Effects of Bromazolam

It may be assumed that one can obtain the same feeling that Xanax or Valium could provide. However, the article titled “The surge of bromazolam-related fatalities replacing other designer benzodiazepines-related fatalities in San Francisco,” published in Addiction, reveals that bromazolam has “potent sedative, hypnotic, and anxiolytic effects.” This increase in the effects is arguably caused since bromazolam is an unauthorized drug. Its production involves the synthesis of components, raising great concern about bromazolam’s potential to cause addiction and, in the worst cases, possible fatalities.

Alabama incident:

In the article, “The emergence of bromazolam in Jefferson County, AL: a case series,” 10 cases of bromazolam-related deaths were discussed. Although all “manners of death were ruled as accidental,” bromazolam was included in the cause of death statements in 9 of the 10 cases.

Kentucky AG Russell Coleman, who is the head of the group of 21 attorneys general aimed at getting bromazolam banned, even provided some numbers from his home state. “In Kentucky, the Office of Drug Control Policy has reported approximately 47 overdose deaths in 2024 linked to bromazolam,” he stated in the letter to the DEA.

Designer Xanax: What will become of it?

With the letter sent to the DEA by the 21-state coalition earlier this week, it remains to be seen what will become of designer Xanax. Even though the attorneys general have claimed that scheduling is needed, some may argue against it. While unauthorized drugs have become a problem in many cases, it’s hard to determine just how harmful a drug may be. It’s going to be an interesting thing to see.

Xanax has become a well-known drug. Even most people who don’t use it are aware of it. Regardless of whatever one’s opinion on this recent development regarding bromazolam is, arguably, the question remains of how this will affect the reputation of the Xanax name as a whole.

References:

https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/bkae067

https://academic.oup.com/jat/article/48/8/566/7725379?login=false

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16520

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38679868

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16520