A padrão of sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic uso that has caused clinically significant harm to a person’s physical or mental health or in which behaviour induced by sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics has caused clinically significant harm to the health of other people. The padrão of sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic uso is evident over a period of at least 12 months if uso is episodic and at least one month if uso is continuous (i.e., daily or almost daily). Harm may be caused by the intoxicating effects of sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics, the direct or secondary toxic effects on body organs and systems, or a nocivo route of administration.