Fife drug users are being warned about ultra-strong street valium tablets which are contributing to overdoses and deaths.
Gareth Balmer, of harm reduction service WithYou in Fife, says “dingy vallies” 10 times stronger than prescription diazepam are on the rise.
And mixing even one with alcohol can cause aggression and other “wildly disinhibited” behaviour.
Two Fife drug dealers were jailed last month after being caught with 7,000 etizolam tablets.
It was implicated in 10% of all drugs-related deaths in Fife last year.
And Kirkcaldy Sheriff Krista Johnston described it as “a blight on society”.
However, Gareth says a similar drug called bromazolam is now becoming even more prevalent than etizolam.
It was implicated in 426 deaths in Scotland in 2023, including 16 in Fife.
Effects of street valium tablets can last 84 hours
“The latest statistics show bromazolam is going through the roof,” says Leven-based Gareth.
Bought online and cleverly-packaged, they look like the real thing.
Unfortunately, the people buying them don’t know what, or how much, they’re getting.
“One tablet can be weak but the next one might be really strong,” Gareth warns.
“And sometimes these tablets can last for 84 hours.”
He adds: “Etizolam and bromazolam are stronger in the same way whisky is stronger than lager.
“Imagine you had a pint of lager every night then one day it tasted just like lager, but it wasn’t until you’d drunk it you realised it was as strong as whisky.
“It’s definitely having an impact on how many people are dying unfortunately.”
‘One tablet with a glass of wine can seriously alter behaviour’
And it also affects the wider community through the behaviour of users.
While sold as a sedative, taken in high doses fake diazepam can act as a stimulant.
Gareth says: “We’ve probably all seen videos of people doing irrational things on aeroplanes and that’s often associated with Xanax use.
“People take anti-anxiety drugs because they’re anxious but they also drink and can become wildly disinhibited and do silly things.
“You might just take one with a glass of wine in the evening but that could be enough to seriously alter your behaviour.”
Drugs still available despite arrests
Police are making inroads in disrupting the supply of etizolam and similar drugs, with a number of high-profile arrests recently.
However, they are still relatively easy to get hold of.
“The genie is out the bottle with the internet now so it’s very difficult to do something about their supply,” says Gareth.
“Instead, we need to do something about the demand.”
He urges users who want to stop to seek help from their GP or a service such as WithYou in Fife.
And anyone who does take street valium should use a “buddy system” to ensure someone is with them.
“I’m glad the sheriff mentioned it,” Gareth adds. “Because it is a growing problem.”
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