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Rising anti-anxiety prescriptions, drug-related crime put lawmakers on edge

Published: 07 Apr. 2026, 16:31 Updated: 07 Apr. 2026, 17:06

White tablets spill from a glass bottle [GETTY IMAGES]

Lawmakers are calling for tighter control over the prescription of anti-anxiety drugs as the number of prescriptions has been increasing over the years, possibly used in crimes such as the recent high-profile serial killing case.

The number of prescriptions of benzodiazepine-based drugs has been on an increase for four consecutive years, according to data released on Tuesday by Rep. Seo Mi-hwa of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee. The data were based on records from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA).

The 13 major benzodiazepine-based drugs include alprazolam, lorazepam, diazepam and etizolam. Alprazolam accounted for the largest share of the prescription with 346.63 million tablets in 2025. Lorazepam followed at 166.56 million tablets. Diazepam totaled 9,735 tablets. Etizolam and flunitrazepam recorded 74.12 million and 56.84 million tablets, respectively.

Benzodiazepine-based drugs are used to treat insomnia, anxiety disorders and seizures. The drugs can cause dependence and tolerance. Medical supervision is required when prescribing them.

The total number of prescriptions rose from 809.88 million tablets in 2021 to 827.08 million in 2022, and then to 850.34 million in 2023. It reached 856 million in 2024 and 863.35 million in 2025. The increase over four years amounted to 53.47 million tablets, a 6.6 percent increase.

A woman suspected of giving a drug-laced drink to murder a man in a motel in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul, attends a warrant review hearing at the Seoul Northern District Court in Dobong District, northern Seoul, on Feb. 12. [NEWS1]

Authorities have identified the drugs in multiple criminal cases.

The defendant in the Gangbuk motel murder spree, Kim So-yeong, was detained and indicted on charges including murder and violations of the Narcotics Control Act after allegedly giving drug-laced beverages containing benzodiazepine-based substances to three men between mid-Dec. last year and Feb. 9, causing them to lose consciousness or die.

Similarly, rapper Yoon Byeong-ho, who appeared on Mnet’s hip-hop audition program “High School Rapper” (2017-21), was handed a suspended sentence after administering psychoactive drugs containing diazepam, lorazepam, and zolpidem while detained at an Incheon detention center from Aug. 17 to 26, 2022.

Alprazolam and flunitrazepam, along with zolpidem, were the top three most detected drugs taken by drug-impaired drivers since 2023, according to the National Forensic Service.

“Prescriptions of benzodiazepine-based drugs, widely used as anti-anxiety medications, have continued to increase, and the issue has expanded beyond simple misuse to criminal use with significant social impact,” Seo said. “Thorough oversight by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and HIRAS is urgently needed.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]