AVERTING ANOTHER DRUG CRISIS.

• Position: STATELINE - Brief article

This time, doctors don't mind sounding alarmist. The growing use of anti-anxiety pills Xanax, Valium, Ativan and others reminds them of the beginning of the opioid crisis. The drugs, known as benzodiazepines or "benzos," have been prescribed to millions to calm nerves and promote a good night's rest, Pew's Stateline reports. But their prescription rate has shot up since the 1990s, with many unaware of the crippling withdrawal symptoms associated with long-term use or the consequences of combining them with other substances. Overdose deaths involving...