Benzos Storing benzos annd estimated time until they lose potency

[drug_mentor]

I got a few questions about storing benzos. Firstly, I read somewhere diazepam gets absorbed into plastic, I was wondering if this applied to alprazolam and to what extent. I have 4 2mg xanax bars sitting in a plastic ziplock baggie and they have been there for about 2 and a half months. Also does xanax have an amount of time in which it loses potency or goes off so to speak? If so how long would that be?

I have pretty much the same question in regards to diazepam, except these are in their original packaging of those little blister packs. How long would you say it would take before they start losing potency?

Also I have read that nicotine inhibits the effects of benzodiazepines, but I am curious to what extent. Like is there a rough percentage of the dose that would be wasted by having a couple cigarettes? Like if I was to take my usual dose an hour or two before bed to enjoy the feeling a bit and have a few cigs in that time would I notice any real reduction in its effectiveness in aiding my sleep?

I am fairly experienced with diazepam but only take it before bed and have a ciggy straight after taking it so it wont interfere, the only times I have actually smoked under the effects of it I have been drinking aswell so it is hard if not impossible to really notice any reduction in effects as the dose of alcohol is constantly increasing.

 

[monstanoodle]

I've also read that Diazepam can be absorbed by plastics, but it wouldn't make much sense to keep them in those blister packs if that were the case. Maybe it's only certain plastics that cause this..
I've read nothing of the sort about Alprazolam though...

Nicotine doesn't inhibit the effects of Benzos, but rather decreases clearance time.

As for loss of potency, I can't give you an answer with any certainty. But I'd imagine they would be good for a year or so if kept away from light, heat and moisture.

 

[Cone]

Depends on many factors, but ultimately you wont see a noticable potency change if theyre stored in a cool, dark and dry environment for years.

They start losing potency the moment they leave the press, the question is will it be noticable? No. Over a period of 10 years, maybe.

If youre worried about the plastic thing, perhaps try storing your benzos wrapped tightly in foil inside an airtight container.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Why snort alprazolam? It has a good oral bioavailability.

 

[Eagleman]

If Diazepam absorbed into plastic, it wouldn't be packaged in plastic bottles and packets.
The expiration date on the bottle means little--drugs remain potent long after their shelf life. In my own experience, I took a Xanax bar that was over seven years old once and it hardly did shit to me--I mean, I slept better that night, but a whole bar of Xanax would floor me normally.
On another occasion, I took some Klonopin that had passed its shelf life by four years and it was plenty potent.
It all depends how it's stored--how much air, light and moisture the pills are exposed to will greatly decrease shelf life. Keep all medicines in a closed, dry cabinet in their original containers (the bottles are colored brown or dark green for the same reason beer bottles are--to minimize the amount of light the drug is exposed to). Try to control humidity in the room (such as turning on the exhaust fan while you shower if the drugs are stored in a bathroom cabinet) This should keep your drugs potent long after their shelf date has passed.

 

[drug_mentor]

Captain.Heroin, who said anything about snorting alprazolam? You must have misread.

Thanks for the responses guys, I was a bit paranoid storing my xanax for a 'rainy day' so to speak, would result in a considerable loss in potency.

If nicotine decreases clearance time of benzos, does anybody have any idea to what extent?

 

[Acid4Blood]

^^ Captain.Heroin misread 'Storing benzos' as 'Snorting benzos' !! I almost did the same!

 

[hydrouser]

I have took xanax that had been kept in a sandwich baggie for years and they were fine. I really didn't notice them being less potent than normal.

 

[creatures87]

nah, i always store my xanax for long amounts of time and it's never lost its effectiveness

 

[bighooter]

benzos basically dont lose potency

Unless you leave it for a few years then maybe

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Why snort alprazolam? It has a good oral bioavailability.

OOOH...

"STORING", not "SNORTING"....

my bad.

nah, i always store my xanax for long amounts of time and it's never lost its effectiveness

Same. I'm pretty sure most of the benzos that people use in the US are likewise, but I cannot confirm or deny this, I just have a pretty good feeling.

 

[broagan]

tried a bunch of flurazepams yesterday that were from 2001, they were completely inert.

 

[debaser]

Diazepam gets absorbed in its plastic container if it's the liquid form, ie. the injectable ampoules are glass made (the content can be drunk too).

 

[toomuchpain]

so carrying around a bottle of valium, or any benzos for that matter i suppose in your pocket for necessary reasons and it could get warm in your pocket, it lessens its potency? that sucks because i take them everywhere i go for social anxiety just in case i need it

and i guess it starts to lose potency when the pills start to turn in to powder?

 

[Cloud_9]

Diazepam gets absorbed in its plastic container if it's the liquid form, ie. the injectable ampoules are glass made (the content can be drunk too).

Just confirming this with an anecdote I guess:

I once had a steady supply of pharmaceutical diazepam 10mg tablets and I was told by an observer around me that I had passed out with a preparation of 5 x 10mg tablets in a plastic syringe suspended with saline in my hand. About 18h later when I recovered from the blackout I recovered the syringe that was dangling in my hand and plugged it. I knew the amount of insoluble particulates was spot on for 50mg of diazepam and that I was told I put 5 x 10mg tablets in, but it felt only a day later like I had only used like 30mg. Take it for what you will.

 

[toomuchpain]

can somebody please answer my question, if one carries a bottle of benzos for social anxiety in their pocket, eventually it will get warm, does it ruin its potency??
should i just take a HIGH dosage and leave the rest of the pills at home?

 

[debaser]

^ No, if it's a matter of a few hours or even a day, your pills won't lose any potency.

DO NOT take a high dosage straight away.

 

[hydroazuanacaine]

whoa, captain, i misread the title in the same way. i was surprised a member of the "bluelight crew" would ask such a thing, given bluelight's take on intranasal benzos.

and toomuchpain, there are plenty of reasons only to bring the max dose you could need throughout the next day or two out with you, but i doubt your body heat will ruin the pills in your pocket.

 

[Pegasus]

There wasa study where diazepam ampuoles were kept in come condition (I can't remember if it was ideal or unideal because the article is now blocked without a journal subscription), but they stored with very little loss in potency IN A LIQUID SOLUTION for 10 years with very little degredation...

In essence, they are very stable. Keep out of extreme environments and you'll be fine.

(FWIW, I had a buddy put some clonazepam through the washer and dryer in little foil packets and they came out all crushed up and leaking out of the foil, but they gave effects just fine!)

 

[tropylium]

Only LIQUID diazepam is absorbed by plastic - people have said it before in this thread, but it bears repeating. Liquid diazepam for injection (or intrarectal use, which is popular for epileptics) is a finicky beast, because diazepam is not very soluble in water.

For best shelf life, benzo tablets should be stored away from light, moisture, air, and heat.

From personal experience, I will tell you that heat can inactivate Ativan and Klonopin tablets. I like to keep a cache in my backpack, but I have to rotate the stock. If I don't use them, I throw the tablets away every three months and replace them with fresh tablets, because a few months in a backpack will cook them. The tablets seem to last many years in the medicine cabinet.