Category: Substance use education

In the United States, an estimated 12.5% of adults, or 30.5 million people, use benzodiazepines [1.7.1]. A frequent question that arises is: **is clonazepam classified as a narcotic?** While it is a controlled substance, its classification is distinct and important to understand.

In 2021, nearly 14% of overdose deaths that involved opioids also involved benzodiazepines like Xanax [1.2.4]. Many people ask, **is Xanax a narcotic or opioid?** The answer is unequivocally no—it belongs to a different class of drugs, and understanding this distinction is vital for safety [1.2.1, 1.2.2].

In 2024, approximately 19.8 million prescriptions for lorazepam (Ativan) and 21.4 million for clonazepam (Klonopin) were dispensed in the United States [1.6.1]. The question of whether Ativan gets you higher than Klonopin is common, rooted in their distinct pharmacological profiles.