ArticleDrug and alcohol dependence2026
The association between benzodiazepine proliferation in the unregulated drug supply and experiences of violence: A gender-based analysis.
Article in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Gender differences in the association between housing status and violence among people who report exposure to benzodiazepines.The International journal on drug policy · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRising contamination of illicitly-manufactured benzodiazepines in unregulated opioids in Canada poses concern as their strong sedative effects may increase vulnerability to violence for people who use drugs (PWUD), particularly women. The current study longitudinally examined the relationship between suspected exposure to benzodiazepines (SEB) and violent victimization, assessing for gender differences.
methodsData were drawn from 1049 participants (40.9 % women) from three harmonized prospective cohorts of community-recruited PWUD in Vancouver, Canada between 2021 and 2023. We conducted gender-stratified analyses, with a three-level exposure variable 1) primary SEB: through using unregulated benzodiazepines, 2) secondary SEB: only through using other unregulated drugs, and 3) no exposure (reference category). Patterns of unregulated opioid and stimulant use were examined as effect modifiers.
findingsAt baseline, 249 (58.0 %) women and 349 (56.3 %) men reported any SEB; 84 (19.6 %) women and 126 (20.3 %) men reported experiencing violence. For all participants, secondary SEB was significantly related to higher odds of violence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.48; 95 % confidence interval [CI]:1.14-1.92), however this association did not persist for primary SEB (AOR=1.26; 94 % CI:0.73-2.18). In gender-stratified analyses, the association between secondary SEB and violence was only significant for women (AOR=1.62; 95 % CI:1.10-2.38). Secondary SEB was also associated with higher odds of violence when participants reported daily stimulant and no daily opioid use (AOR=2.76; 95 % CI:1.58-4.82).
conclusionsOur findings suggest lack of agency over exposure to benzodiazepines, as created by drug supply unpredictability, may exacerbate risk of violence among women who use drugs and PWUD who do not frequently use opioids.
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