Klonopin & Drug Tests: Some Facts

Klonopin, like many other prescription drugs, has gained a reputation for abuse in the past years.  It is part of a growing trend that has led to many harmful effects, including the following statistic (from WECT):

“Hospital stays from an unintentional overdose of opioids (such as Vicodin and Percocet) and sedatives (such as Valium and Ativan) jumped 37 percent between 1999 and 2006, the study found. Intentional overdoses of these drugs skyrocketed by 130 percent in that time.”

So here are the facts – what is Klonopin, and how can it be tested?

For starters – Klonopin is also called Clonazepam.   It is a member of the Benzodiazepine family of drugs.  This means that it treats anxiety, seizures and panic attacks, and is related to other commonly abused benzodiazepines, including Xanax, Valium, and Ativan.

Benzodiazepines are pretty serious drugs, and withdrawal from them can be problematic.  They are prescribed with caution and should never be taken recreationally.

The urine drug test that detects Klonopin is the Xanax Drug Test / Valium Drug Test.  It will test for all members of the Benzodiazepine family – Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, and more – look up the brand name of any prescription and if it is a benzodiazepine, this test will cover it.  Benzodiazepines stay in the urine for anywhere from 3 to 7 days after use.

Klonopin is not safe (as this sad Boston.com story demonstrates).  If you are worried that someone is abusing it, you should definitely test.  For parents, prescription drugs are the new frontier in teen parties and drug abuse, and while being equipped with the facts is always good, being equipped with a drug test is not a bad idea either.