Benzodiazepine Equivalence Converter
Convert an oral dose of one benzodiazepine into approximate equivalent oral doses of others using the Ashton Manual pivot model. All conversions route through a diazepam equivalent — diazepam's long half-life and long-acting active metabolite make for smoother, more gradual tapering, which is why clinical references anchor to it. Values are approximate; individual response varies.
Every equivalence here is for oral dosing. The Ashton table grades oral doses only. No other route is covered, and none is inferred — intravenous, intramuscular, intranasal and rectal doses are not equivalent to these values.
how equivalences work
The pivot model converts via diazepam: the input oral dose is expressed as an oral diazepam equivalent, then that equivalent is converted into the target drug. Two-step, always explicit.
Ashton equivalences represent oral doses that produce a broadly similar CNS effect in an average-weight adult. The source table grades oral dosing only; equivalence by any other route is not covered here and is not inferred from these values. They were developed for tapering schedules, not recreational substitution. Individual pharmacokinetics, tolerance, and metabolism cause meaningful variation.
Half-life ranges reflect the active drug plus major active metabolites (e.g., diazepam accumulates desmethyldiazepam). Actual subjective duration may differ from pharmacokinetic half-life.