What is the thesis here? Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed and have the potential for abuse; these things are both true; I hadn't heard the rate of prescription was rising, but I'd believe it. There doesn't seem to be any evidence presented for a trend or rise in benzodiazepine abuse, or evidence of general harm from the use of the drugs. It highlights parallels between the existence of this prescription drug class and another class that is associated with significant issues, and makes it sound as if there were an issue here... and then leaves it at that, the literary equivalent of a wink and a nudge. Are they arguing that prescription of drugs with abuse potential is inherently a problem? Because that would be a very extreme position, one which would challenge a sizable fraction of the medications available to modern psychiatry.

And this is a "journalist's resource," one associated with the Harvard Kennedy School? No wonder journalism is garbage these days.