Is zopiclone a controlled drug? Benzodiazepine, opioid or Z-drug explained

Is zopiclone a controlled drug? Yes. Since 10 June 2014 it has been a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and a Schedule 4 Part 1 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. It is a “Z-drug” sleeping tablet, not a benzodiazepine and not an opioid, and you can only get it with a prescription.

This guide explains what zopiclone’s legal status means for you, how it differs from benzodiazepines and opioids, and why it is never sold over the counter. It uses UK law, the NHS and the official product information. For the medicine as a whole, see our complete guide to zopiclone.

Yes: zopiclone is Class C and Schedule 4 Part 1

UK drug law gives every controlled drug two labels. The class (A, B or C) comes from the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and sets the criminal penalties. The schedule (1 to 5) comes from the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 and sets the rules for prescribing, supplying and storing medicines.

Zopiclone has both labels:

• Class C. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Ketamine etc.) (Amendment) Order 2014 brought tramadol, zaleplon and zopiclone under control as Class C drugs. Zopiclone now appears in the Class C list in Schedule 2 of the Act.
• Schedule 4 Part 1. A separate set of 2014 amendment regulations added zopiclone and zaleplon to Schedule 4. You can see zopiclone in the Part I list of Schedule 4 of the 2001 Regulations, alongside zolpidem and many benzodiazepines.

Both changes came into force on 10 June 2014. Before that date, zopiclone was a prescription-only medicine but not a controlled drug. For a wider explanation of the system, read our guide to controlled drugs in the UK.

Why zopiclone became a controlled drug in 2014

The change followed advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). In September 2013, the ACMD recommended controlling zopiclone and zaleplon in the same way as zolpidem, which was already Class C and Schedule 4.

The ACMD said the risk of diversion and misuse, and the harms that follow, were similar for all three Z-drugs. It also stressed that the medicines would still be available. Control was about regulating how they are stored, supplied and prescribed.

This does not mean zopiclone is unsafe when it is prescribed. It means the law treats it as a medicine with a real risk of dependence and misuse, so it needs extra checks.

What Class C and Schedule 4 Part 1 mean for you

Label	Where it comes from	What it means in practice
Class C	Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, section 2	Sets the penalties for having or supplying the drug without lawful authority, such as a prescription.
Schedule 4 Part 1	Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001	Sets the rules for prescriptions, records and travel. Schedule 4 is a lower-control schedule than Schedules 2 and 3.

Your prescription

The NHS Business Services Authority says prescriptions for Schedule 2, 3 and 4 controlled drugs are only valid for 28 days. After that, the pharmacy cannot dispense it, and you will need a new one.

Schedule 4 drugs can be prescribed on repeat dispensing, unlike Schedule 2 and 3 drugs. The first supply must still happen within 28 days. In practice, zopiclone is meant for short courses. The UK product information says treatment should not exceed four weeks, including the time spent tapering off.

Having zopiclone that is not prescribed to you, or sharing it

Schedule 4 is split into two parts. The heading of Part II says those drugs are excepted from the ban on possession. Zopiclone is in Part I, which has no such exception. So having zopiclone that was not prescribed to you can be an offence.

GOV.UK lists the maximum penalties for Class C drugs: up to 2 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both for possession. For supply and production, it is up to 14 years, an unlimited fine or both. Never give or sell your tablets to anyone else, even a family member who also struggles to sleep.

Is zopiclone a benzodiazepine?

No. Zopiclone is not a benzodiazepine, although it works in a similar way. The UK patient information leaflet says it belongs to a class of medicines called Z-drugs. The NHS describes it as a type of sleeping pill sometimes known as a Z-drug, a kind of hypnotic.

The confusion is understandable. The official product information files zopiclone under “hypnotics and sedatives; benzodiazepine related drugs” (ATC code N05CF01). It also calls zopiclone “benzodiazepine-like” in places.

How zopiclone works compared with benzodiazepines

Your brain uses a calming chemical messenger called GABA. Both benzodiazepines and zopiclone boost GABA’s effect by acting on the same GABA receptor complex in the brain, which makes you sleepy.

The difference is chemical. The zopiclone Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) says zopiclone belongs to a group of compounds called cyclopyrrolones. It also says cyclopyrrolones act on a different site from benzodiazepines within that receptor complex. So zopiclone has a different structure, but many of the same effects and risks.

How zopiclone compares with similar medicines

Medicine	Type	UK class	UK schedule
Zopiclone	Z-drug hypnotic	Class C	Schedule 4 Part 1
Zolpidem	Z-drug hypnotic	Class C	Schedule 4 Part 1
Zaleplon	Z-drug hypnotic	Class C	Schedule 4 Part 1
Diazepam	Benzodiazepine	Class C	Schedule 4 Part 1
Tramadol	Opioid painkiller	Class C	Schedule 3

In law, zopiclone sits in the same schedule as diazepam. That is why many people assume it is a benzodiazepine. Being in the same schedule means similar rules, not the same type of medicine.

Is zopiclone an opioid?

No. Zopiclone is a sleeping tablet, not a painkiller. Opioids, such as codeine, morphine, tramadol and tapentadol, act on opioid receptors to relieve pain. Zopiclone acts on the GABA system instead.

The two groups do have one thing in common: both can slow your breathing. The zopiclone SmPC warns that using zopiclone with opioids may cause sedation, slowed breathing, coma and death. Only take them together if your prescriber has decided it is necessary. Our guide to zopiclone interactions explains this in more detail.

Can you get zopiclone over the counter?

No. The NHS says zopiclone is only available with a prescription. No UK pharmacy can sell it over the counter, and a pharmacist cannot supply it without a valid prescription.

Websites that offer zopiclone with no prescription or no consultation are breaking the law. The MHRA’s #FakeMeds campaign warns that fake medicines can kill and that selling unauthorised medicines is illegal in the UK. Tablets from these sites may not contain what the label says.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) says its register is the only way to confirm a pharmacy is legally operating in Great Britain. Our guide on how to check an online pharmacy is legitimate walks you through the checks. If you are struggling to sleep, the safest first step is to talk to your GP or pharmacist.

Travelling and driving with zopiclone

Travel

Because zopiclone is Schedule 4 Part 1, it is covered by the Home Office personal import rules. GOV.UK says you can travel with up to a 3-month supply of Schedule 2 to 4 (Part I) drugs without a licence, if they were lawfully prescribed for you. It recommends carrying a letter from your prescriber.

The GOV.UK page on taking medicine in or out of the UK says to carry controlled medicines in your hand luggage. Your medicine may be taken away at the border if you cannot prove it was prescribed for you. Other countries have their own rules, so check with the embassy of the country you are visiting.

Driving

Zopiclone is not one of the medicines named in the UK drug-driving limits. But GOV.UK says it is illegal to drive if a legal drug impairs your driving. The NHS advises you not to drive, ride a bike or use machinery for 12 hours after taking zopiclone. See our guide to zopiclone side effects, including next-day effects.

This article is for information only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Read our medical disclaimer.