Primary care intervention programmes were more effective than standard care in helping patients achieve long-term abstinence from benzodiazepines, a study from Spain has shown. Patients aged 18-80 years from primary care centres, were enrolled in a three-arm, randomised controlled trial. All 532 patients had used prescribed benzodiazepines daily for at least six months, mostly for anxiety and insomnia. The median age of patients was 64 years and 72% were female. Overall the intervention programmes were 1.5 times more effective than standard care in helping patients achieve abstinence.