Roche, the manufacturers of Flunitrazepam, ceased manufacturing Flunitrazepam in April 2004. This was mainly due to mounting pressure from the law-enforcement agencies worldwide over its use as a date rape drug.
However, there are still versions of the drug in circulation which have been manufactured by less reputable drug manufacturers in small factories and back-street laboratories in certain parts of the world, especially the Indian sub-continent.
In April 1998, flunitrazepam was reclassified as a Schedule 3 drugin the UK which essentially means that it is illegal to possess the drugs without it having been prescribed by a doctor.
However, in the UK a doctor cannot prescribe the drug as the sole licence holder able to manufacture the drug (Roche) ceased production. In turn, the drug is no longer listed in the British National Formulary, which essentially means that doctors cannot prescribe it.
People are still being caught in possession of the drug in the UK and they are sentenced in accordance with the penalties available for possession of a Schedule 3 substance. However, the flunitrazepam they are caught with will invariably be of very dubious origin.