[lwf]

(To start: Just to clarify there's a significant difference between benzodiazepines and opiates.)

> I have a friend in the US who told me they have an app on their phone where they can just tap a button and the next day they can refill their benzo prescription, and it's been like that for years without having seen a doctor again.

Is this the "request a refill" feature that every US pharmacy offers? Granted, benzodiazepines are less restricted than stimulant drugs¹, but a doctor in the US need to at least review a prescription twice a year.

Chronic (daily) of benzodiazepines is bad, and doctors will not² start new patients on this.

There's still a lot of legacy patients who are on chronic benzodiazepine treatments -- doctors should work with them to wean them off, but it's very challenging and disruptive.

Requiring a patient receiving a benzodiazepine at a non-daily level (e.g. for seizures, anxiety, occasional insomnia) to go back to see their doctor when nothing's changed several times a year is just pushing medical costs (money/time) on the disabled.

¹: e.g. Adderall, which can't be refilled

²: Providers are trained not to these days, at least