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WARNINGMIXING OR WITHDRAWAL CAN BE DANGEROUS
Ordinary doses in combination with other depressants can fatally stop breathing. After prolonged dependency, stopping suddenly can also cause seizures or delirium; seek medical help.
Flunitrazolam
Flunitrazolam
FNTZ, Flunazolam
Flunitrazolam is a novel synthetic depressant of the triazolobenzodiazepine class that first emerged on the research chemical market in 2016.citation needed It has no known precedent in the scientific literature prior to its appearance for sale online. Flunitrazolam is notable for its extreme potency, being active in the low microgram range—a characteristic shared with compounds like flubromazolam and clonazolam. As with all benzodiazepines, it carries significant risk of dependence, and its ultra-potent nature makes accurate dosing particularly critical.
Dosage & Duration
Dosage
Doses are population estimates that vary widely between individuals.
Threshold~30 µg
Light30-80 µg
Moderate80-150 µg
Strong150-300 µg
Heavy300+ µg
Duration
Onset20-40 minutes
Peak1-2 hours
Offset2-4 hours
After Effects1-12 hours
Total4-8 hours
Subjective Effects
Legacy content. A statistically backed ontology from Mindstate Design Labs is coming soon.
The experience is dominated by powerful sedation, hypnosis, and anxiety relief, consistent with a highly potent triazolobenzodiazepine active at doses as low as 0.1 mg. Its effect profile is broadly comparable to related compounds such as flunitrazepam, clonazolam, and flubromazolam, with a pronounced hypnotic character that readily progresses into sleep at higher doses. Memory of the period following ingestion is frequently impaired or lost entirely, and blackouts are a recognized risk even at seemingly modest amounts given the compound's microgram-level potency.
Physical
Heavy sedation and pronounced muscle relaxation define the body experience, accompanied by a loss of motor coordination that makes movement clumsy and unsteady.
Sedation
Cognitive
The headspace is one of diminished anxiety and mental quieting rather than stimulation or alteration of perception. Anterograde amnesia is a defining feature, with recall of events after dosing often fragmentary or absent, culminating in full blackouts at higher doses.
Suppressions
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
Flunitrazolam acts as a positive allosteric modulator at the GABA-A receptor benzodiazepine binding site, enhancing the inhibitory effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). As a triazolobenzodiazepine, it incorporates a fused triazole ring into the benzodiazepine scaffold, which substantially increases potency compared to its parent compound flunitrazepam, rendering it active in the microgram range. The anticonvulsant properties of benzodiazepines may also involve binding to voltage-dependent sodium channels. Very little direct pharmacological research has been conducted on flunitrazolam specifically, and much of its presumed mechanism is inferred from its structural similarity to other benzodiazepines.
Pharmacokinetics
In a self-administration study of Flunitrazolam, the urine was analysed of the volunteer. 7-Amino-Flunitrazolam was detectable for up to 37 hours, Desnitro-Flunitrazolam and 7-Acetamido-Flunitrazolam were also identified. The area response of Desnitro-Flunitrazolam was always lower than compared to the 2 other metabolites and re-analysis showed chemical instability. Hydroxylated forms of Flunitrazolam were not identified in HLMs or urine samples.citation needed
Dangerous
Highest riskThese combinations are considered extremely harmful and should always be avoided. Reactions to these drugs taken in combination are highly unpredictable and have a potential to cause death.
Unsafe
AvoidThere is considerable risk of physical harm when taking these combinations, they should be avoided where possible.
Caution
Use cautionThese combinations are not usually physically harmful, but may produce undesirable effects, such as physical discomfort or overstimulation. Extreme use may cause physical health issues. Synergistic effects may be unpredictable. Care should be taken when choosing to use this combination.
Tolerance
Tolerance timelines are rules of thumb, not exact schedules, and vary widely between individuals and use patterns.
Full Tolerance
Tolerance to sedative-hypnotic effects can emerge quickly, often after only a few days of uninterrupted use.
Cross Tolerance
Benzodiazepines (all)
Baseline Reset
Following cessation of use, tolerance generally returns to baseline within 7-14 days. However, individuals with prolonged or intensive use patterns may require significantly longer periods for complete tolerance reset, proportional to the duration and intensity of their usage history.
Harm Potential
Addiction & Dependence
Psychological
HighHigh abuse potential similar to other potent benzodiazepines.citation needed Compulsive redosing is commonly reported, and rebound anxiety following use can contribute to cycles of dependence and addiction.
Physical
Extremely HighExtremely physically addictive with potentially life-threatening withdrawal. Abrupt discontinuation after regular use can result in hypertension, seizures, or death.citation needed Gradual tapering over weeks is essential; abrupt cessation is dangerous.
Seizure Risk
Unusually for a benzodiazepine, high to very high doses have reportedly caused seizures without additional triggers such as withdrawal. This proconvulsant effect at high doses is atypical for the drug class. Seizures are also a significant risk during withdrawal from chronic use.citation needed
History & Culture
Flunitrazolam is a novel designer benzodiazepine with no documented history prior to its emergence on the online research chemical market. Unlike many benzodiazepines which were first developed by pharmaceutical companies and later diverted to recreational use, flunitrazolam appears to have been…
Legality
International
The fetched UNODC ICE record identifies Flunitrazolam as a benzodiazepine NPS and shows no international-control schedule entry. A direct text search of the fetched schedules in the official INCB editions of the 1961, 1971 and 1988 conventions found no occurrence of flunitrazolam. This international result does not determine national analogue or generic-law coverage.
By Country
Illegal15
ArgentinaIllegalArgentina lists flunitrazolam as item 498 in Anexo I of Decreto 122/2026, which replaces the controlled-substance list in Decreto 560/2019. The annex identifies the substance by the chemical designation [1,2,4]Triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepina, 6-(2-fluorofenil)-1-metil-8-nitro. Law 23.737 criminalizes unauthorized production, commerce, distribution, supply, importation, and possession of substances classified as estupefacientes.
BelgiumIllegalRoyal Decree of 6 September 2017 regulating narcotic, psychotropic and soporific substances, Annex IVB (as amended)6789
Belgium lists FLUNITRAZOLAM by name in Annex IVB of the Royal Decree of 6 September 2017 regulating narcotic, psychotropic and soporific substances. Article 6 requires prior activity authorization to import, export, transport, manufacture, produce, possess, sell, offer, supply, dispense, or acquire products covered by the decree, and limits authorization to scientific or medical purposes. The AFMPS current consolidated Annex IV identifies the substance, while the agency notes that only annexes and amendments published in the Moniteur belge have official legal force.
Czech RepublicIllegalThe current Annex 4 to Czech Government Regulation No. 463/2013 Coll. lists Flunitrazolam by name and gives its IUPAC chemical name in the List No. 4 of psychotropic substances. Under § 3(2) of Act No. 167/1998 Coll., substances in Annex 4 may be used only for limited research, scientific, and very limited therapeutic purposes defined in a handling permit.
DenmarkIllegalBekendtgørelse om euforiserende stoffer (BEK nr. 405 af 26. marts 2026)18
Denmark lists flunitrazolam as an euforiserende middel on Liste E, no. 42, under the current Bekendtgørelse om euforiserende stoffer. The order limits euforiserende drugs to medical or scientific use and requires authorization for import, export, and manufacture of substances on Lists D and E. Accordingly, non-authorized possession, supply, and other handling of flunitrazolam are prohibited.
FinlandIllegalValtioneuvoston asetus huumausaineina pidettävistä aineista, valmisteista ja kasveista (543/2008), as amended by 244/2024192021
Finland lists flunitrazolam under the Finnish name flunitratsolaami in Annex IV of the narcotics schedules to Government Decree 543/2008. The official entry identifies it by the chemical name 6-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-8-nitro-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepine. Amendment 244/2024, effective 10 June 2024, places the substance in the controlled narcotics list.
GermanyIllegal (analog/blanket ban)The current NpSG Annex 1 defines the benzodiazepine group to include 1,4- and 1,5-benzodiazepines and their triazolo and imidazolo derivatives, with a 600 u maximum molecular mass. Flunitrazolam is a triazolo-benzodiazepine with molecular mass about 337 u and therefore falls within the generic group. Section 3 prohibits trade, placing on the market, manufacture, import/export, acquisition, possession and administration, subject to the statutory scientific, industrial and official-use exceptions.
IndonesiaIllegalPeraturan Menteri Kesehatan Republik Indonesia Nomor 14 Tahun 2025 tentang Penetapan dan Perubahan Penggolongan Psikotropika2627
Indonesia lists FLUNITRAZOLAM in the Group I psychotropic schedule under Permenkes No. 14 Tahun 2025, issued on 21 November 2025 and promulgated on 28 November 2025. The annex places it at item 10 of A. Daftar Psikotropika Golongan I and identifies it as 6-(2-fluorofenil)-1-metil-8-nitro-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3a][1,4]benzodiazepina. Group I psychotropics are limited to scientific use, are not used in therapy, and have very strong dependence potential.
ItalyIllegalDecree of the Minister of Health of 6 August 2021 updating the tables under Presidential Decree No. 309 of 9 October 199028
Flunitrazolam (also known as FNTZ and Flunazolam) is listed in Italy’s Tabella IV of the controlled-substances tables under Presidential Decree No. 309 of 1990. The 6 August 2021 ministerial decree adds the common name and the chemical designation 6-(2-fluorofenil)-1-metil-8-nitro-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepina. The amendment takes effect on the fifteenth day after publication in the Gazzetta Ufficiale and places the substance within Italy’s narcotics-control regime.
PolandIllegalRegulation of the Minister of Health of 17 August 2018 on the lists of psychotropic substances, narcotic drugs and new psychoactive substances, consolidated by the Minister of Health notice of 17 June 2024 (Dz. U. 2024 poz. 1139)29
The current Polish consolidated text expressly lists FLUNITRAZOLAM with its chemical name 6-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-8-nitro-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepine in the list of new psychoactive substances. The regulation is issued under the Act on counteracting drug addiction; the listing places the substance in the Polish controlled new-psychoactive-substance regime.
SingaporeIllegal (analog/blanket ban)UNODC classifies flunitrazolam as a benzodiazepine-type new psychoactive substance in the sedatives/hypnotics group, whose substances are central-nervous-system depressants. Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act defines a psychoactive substance by its capacity to produce a psychoactive effect and excludes only substances specified in the Fifth Schedule; CNB states that unlisted NPS with that capacity are treated as psychoactive substances. Sections 11H and 11I make unauthorised import or export and possession or consumption of a psychoactive substance offences, subject to statutory authorisation and the legitimate non-human-consumption defence.
South AfricaIllegal (analog/blanket ban)The current consolidated Act lists flunitrazepam in Schedule 2, Part I, and extends the listed dependence-producing substances to chemically related homologues that incorporate a similar structural fragment or exhibit similar pharmacodynamic properties. NIH PubChem identifies flunitrazolam as a triazolo[1,4]benzodiazepine, making it chemically related to the listed benzodiazepine flunitrazepam and covered by the homologue provision. Sections 4 and 5 prohibit unauthorized possession, use, and dealing in covered dependence-producing substances while preserving the Act's medicinal and other authorized exceptions.
South KoreaIllegal식품의약품안전처 공고 제2026-391호 (MFDS Notice No. 2026-391), issued 11 August 2026 under the Narcotics Control Act Article 5-2434445
The current MFDS Notice No. 2026-391 consolidates the prior temporary-narcotic designation notices into a single full list. Its consolidated list identifies flunitrazolam as item 64, Group 2, with the chemical name 1-Methyl-8-nitro-6-(2-fluorophenyl)-4H-(1,2,4)triazolo(4,3-a)(1,4)benzodiazepine and the effective period 14 August 2025 through 31 March 2028. Under the current Narcotics Control Act Article 5-2, Group 2 temporary narcotics are subject to the statutory prohibitions on cultivation, extraction, manufacture, import/export, possession or ownership for those purposes, sale or transfer and related possession, possession, use, transport, management, administration, storage, and provision of facilities or means for prohibited conduct, subject to the statutory approval and official-duty exceptions.
SwedenIllegalSweden lists flunitrazolam as a narcotic substance in Förteckning I of Läkemedelsverket’s consolidated LVFS 2011:10. The regulation identifies it by the chemical name 6-(2-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-8-nitro-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepine, and the controlling ordinance provides that Läkemedelsverket’s lists cover narcotics and that listed narcotics are subject to the narcotics-control framework.
SwitzerlandIllegalBetmVV-EDI (Ordinance of the FDHA on the Lists of Narcotics, Psychotropic Substances, Precursors and Chemicals), SR 812.121.11, List e (raw materials and products with suspected narcotic-like effects), entry no. 237484950
The current Swissmedic List e directory (status 19 November 2024) identifies Flunitrazolam, CAS 2243815-18-9, as entry 237 in the BetmVV-EDI. Industrial and scientific use are exempt from control, but private use is not exempt. The substances added to the Narcotics List with effect from 13 March 2026 are subject to the Narcotics Act; their manufacture, trade and use are illegal and subject to penalties.
United KingdomIllegalMisuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2021; Misuse of Drugs and Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Amendment) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 20215152
The 2021 Order adds flunitrazolam to Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as a Class C drug and extends to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The companion 2021 Regulations add it to Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 and to the designation Order; the explanatory note describes Schedule 1 as the tightest control and requiring a Home Office licence for access.
Controlled / restricted4
BrazilRestrictedPortaria SVS/MS No. 344/1998, Annex I, List B1, as updated by ANVISA RDC No. 835 of 13 December 20231011
ANVISA RDC No. 835 expressly adds flunitrazolam to List B1 of the controlled-substances annex to Portaria 344/98. List B1 is a psychotropic-substance list subject to Brazil's special prescription and record controls; the List B1 classification does not establish an absolute prohibition.
CanadaRestrictedControlled Drugs and Substances Act, Schedule IV, item 18; Health Canada New psychoactive substances in Canada – 20221213
Health Canada expressly identifies Flunitrazolam (FNTZ; Flunazolam) as a benzodiazepine controlled under Schedule IV, item 18 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Schedule IV controls apply to obtaining, trafficking and related authorized activities; because the Act's simple-possession prohibition in section 4(1) applies to Schedules I–III, it does not apply to flunitrazolam.
FranceRestrictedArrêté du 3 mai 2018 modifiant l’arrêté du 22 février 1990 fixant la liste des substances classées comme psychotropes (NOR : SSAP1812397A)2223
France lists flunitrazolam as a psychotropic substance in the third part of the annex to the 22 February 1990 order. The 3 May 2018 amending order names flunitrazolam, and the consolidated list applies the classification to its salts and preparations containing it. This is a national psychotropic control listing rather than a separately established narcotics prohibition.
RussiaRestrictedGovernment Resolution No. 681 of 30 June 1998, as amended by Government Resolution No. 1134 of 10 July 2023303132
Russia lists flunitrazolam (Флунитразолам) as a psychotropic substance in List III of Government Resolution No. 681's controlled-substances schedule. Government Resolution No. 1134 of 10 July 2023 added the substance immediately after flunitrazepam, and the current consolidated schedule records that amendment. List III covers psychotropic substances whose circulation is restricted while allowing specified exemptions from some control measures.
Prescription1
AustraliaPrescription onlyTherapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—June 2026) Instrument 2026, Schedule 4 and Appendix D clause 545
Australia’s current Poisons Standard places “BENZODIAZEPINE derivatives except when separately specified in these Schedules” in Schedule 4, the prescription-only category. Flunitrazolam (FNTZ; flunazolam) is not individually named, while the instrument separately lists FLUBROMAZOLAM and FLUNITAZENE in Schedule 9; as a triazolobenzodiazepine, flunitrazolam is captured by the Schedule 4 benzodiazepine-derivative group entry. Appendix D clause 5 additionally identifies benzodiazepine derivatives as poisons that must not be possessed without authority, and the Standard explains that derivative classification carries the same scheduling requirements as the scheduled poison.
References
Source Pages
Citations
- Decreto 122/2026, Anexo I. boletinoficial.gob.ar (n.d.). https://www.boletinoficial.gob.ar/detalleAviso/primera/338915/20260302?anexos=11
- Decreto 122/2026, Anexo I. mpf.gob.ar (n.d.). https://www.mpf.gob.ar/procunar/files/2019/09/Anexo-decreto-122-2026.pdf1
- Decreto 122/2026, Anexo I. argentina.gob.ar (n.d.). https://www.argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/ley-23737-138/actualizacion1
- Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—June 2026) Instrument 2026, Schedule 4 and Appendix D clause 5. legislation.gov.au (n.d.). https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L00633/asmade/2026-05-28/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html1
- Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—June 2026) Instrument 2026, Schedule 4 and Appendix D clause 5. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (n.d.). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Flunitrazolam1
- Royal Decree of 6 September 2017 regulating narcotic, psychotropic and soporific substances, Annex IVB (as amended). ejustice.just.fgov.be (n.d.). https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/arrete/2017/09/06/2017031231/justel1
- Royal Decree of 6 September 2017 regulating narcotic, psychotropic and soporific substances, Annex IVB (as amended). afmps.be (n.d.). https://www.afmps.be/fr/humain/produits_particuliers/subst_specialement_reglementees/stupefiants_et_psychotropes/substances1
- Royal Decree of 6 September 2017 regulating narcotic, psychotropic and soporific substances, Annex IVB (as amended). afmps.be (n.d.). https://www.afmps.be/sites/default/files/content/INSP/NARC/annex%20IV_non%20official%20consolidated%20version.pdf1
- Royal Decree of 6 September 2017 regulating narcotic, psychotropic and soporific substances, Annex IVB (as amended). afmps.be (n.d.). https://www.afmps.be/sites/default/files/content/INSP/NARC/kb-ar-20170906.pdf1
- Portaria SVS/MS No. 344/1998, Annex I, List B1, as updated by ANVISA RDC No. 835 of 13 December 2023. gov.br (n.d.). https://www.gov.br/anvisa/pt-br/assuntos/medicamentos/controlados/lista-substancias1
Further Reading
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