Report Harm from Long-Term Benzodiazepine Prescribing.

Patients deserve full disclosure and accurate information to make informed decisions about their medical care.

If you believe a physician prescribed you a benzodiazepine long-term without adequately explaining the possibility of physical dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, protracted withdrawal, or the risks involved in reducing or discontinuing the medication, you can report your concerns to the medical licensing authority in your state.

Filing a complaint does not mean that misconduct automatically occurred. It asks the state licensing board to review the facts and determine whether the physician met applicable professional standards.

Tell your story factually. Include the medication and dose, how long you were prescribed it, why it was prescribed, what you were told about long-term use and withdrawal, whether risks were discussed periodically, what happened when the medication was reduced or stopped, relevant medical records, and how your health and functioning were affected. Keep copies of everything you submit.

Together, we need to stop this reckless prescribing, which is destroying people's lives. Your experience can help prevent others from going through this.

50-State Medical Board Complaint Directory

Official complaint resources for concerns about physician prescribing practices

Blindsided by Benzos

Purpose: Use this directory if you want to ask a state licensing authority to review a physician's care or prescribing practices. Filing a complaint does not establish that misconduct occurred; the licensing authority decides whether the matter falls within its jurisdiction and whether professional standards were violated.

Helpful information to include in a complaint

Medication name, dose, how often it was taken, and how long it was prescribed.

Why the benzodiazepine was prescribed and which clinician prescribed it.

What you were told about long-term use, physical dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, and discontinuation.

What happened during continued use, dose reductions, tapering, or discontinuation, including important symptoms and functional effects.

Relevant dates, medical records, pharmacy records, after-visit summaries, messages, and other supporting documentation.

Important: If your prescriber was a nurse practitioner, the appropriate complaint route may be the state Board of Nursing rather than the medical board. Physician assistants may be regulated by a medical board or another state licensing authority, depending on the state.

Directory links are shown in full and are clickable. State websites can change, so if a link has moved, search the named agency for “file a complaint.”

50-State Directory

State

Official complaint resource, description & URL

Alabama

Alabama Board of Medical Examiners - Complaints

Official complaint resource for concerns about physicians and other licensees regulated by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners.

URL: https://www.albme.gov/consumers/complaints/

Alaska

Alaska Professional Licensing - Complaint Information

State complaint information for regulated professions, including medical professionals. The page explains how to submit a licensing complaint and what information to provide.

URL: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ComplaintFAQs.aspx

Arizona

Arizona Medical Board - MD Complaints

Official Arizona Medical Board complaint and regulation page for physicians licensed as MDs.

URL: https://azmd.gov/Regulation/Regulation

Separate osteopathic / provider complaint route

Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners - DO Complaints

Official complaint page for osteopathic physicians (DOs) licensed in Arizona.

URL: https://azdo.gov/consumer-resources/filing-complaint

Arkansas

Arkansas State Medical Board - File a Complaint

Online complaint portal for concerns involving professionals regulated by the Arkansas State Medical Board.

URL: https://armedicalboard.adh.arkansas.gov/Public/FileAComplaint.aspx

California

Medical Board of California - MD Complaints

Official complaint page for concerns about California physicians licensed as MDs and other licensees under the Medical Board.

URL: https://www.mbc.ca.gov/Consumers/file-a-complaint/

Separate osteopathic / provider complaint route

Osteopathic Medical Board of California - DO Complaints

Official complaint page for osteopathic physicians (DOs) licensed in California.

URL: https://www.ombc.ca.gov/consumer_complaint/file_a_complaint.shtml

Colorado

Colorado Medical Board - File a Complaint

Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies page for the Medical Board. Use the site's complaint option for concerns involving regulated medical professionals.

URL: https://dpo.colorado.gov/Medical

Connecticut

Connecticut Department of Public Health - Reporting a Complaint

Official DPH page for filing complaints involving licensed health-care practitioners, including physicians.

URL: https://portal.ct.gov/dph/practitioner-licensing--investigations/plis/reporting-a-complaint

Delaware

Delaware Division of Professional Regulation - File a Complaint

Official Delaware complaint portal for licensed professionals, including medical practitioners.

URL: https://delpros.delaware.gov/oh_filecomplaint

Florida

Florida Health Care Complaint Portal

State complaint portal for Florida health-care practitioners and facilities. Select the appropriate practitioner/license type when filing.

URL: https://complaint-portal.mqa.flhealthsource.gov/home

Georgia

Georgia Composite Medical Board - Filing a Complaint

Official complaint information and submission resource for physicians and other professionals regulated by the Georgia Composite Medical Board.

URL: https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/consumer-resources/filing-complaint

Hawaii

Hawaii Regulated Industries Complaints Office - File a Complaint

Official consumer complaint resource for licensed professionals in Hawaii, including health-care licensees.

URL: https://cca.hawaii.gov/rico/file/

Idaho

Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses - File a Complaint

Official Idaho complaint page for regulated professionals, including medical licensees.

URL: https://dopl.idaho.gov/filing-a-complaint/

Illinois

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation - Complaints

Official IDFPR complaint page for regulated professionals, including physicians and other health-care licensees.

URL: https://idfpr.illinois.gov/admin/complaints.html

Indiana

Indiana Professional Licensing Agency - Report a Professional

Official Indiana page for reporting concerns about licensed professionals, including medical practitioners.

URL: https://www.in.gov/pla/licensure-discipline/report-a-professional/

Iowa

Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing - Complaints

State complaint resource for licensed professionals. Use the appropriate licensing complaint pathway for a physician or medical practitioner.

URL: https://dial.iowa.gov/i-need/complaints

Kansas

Kansas State Board of Healing Arts - Disciplinary / Complaint Forms

Official forms and disciplinary resources for complaints about physicians and other professionals regulated by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts.

URL: https://www.ksbha.ks.gov/forms/disciplinary

Kentucky

Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure - Grievances

Official grievance and complaint information for concerns involving Kentucky physicians and other licensees regulated by the Board.

URL: https://kbml.ky.gov/grievances/Pages/default.aspx

Louisiana

Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners - Investigations

Official investigations resource for reporting concerns involving physicians and other professionals regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.

URL: https://www.lsbme.la.gov/content/investigations

Maine

Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine - MD Complaints

Official complaint page for physicians licensed as MDs by the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine.

URL: https://www.maine.gov/md/complaint/file-complaint

Separate osteopathic / provider complaint route

Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure - DO Complaints

Official complaint page for osteopathic physicians (DOs) licensed in Maine.

URL: https://www.maine.gov/osteo/file-complaint

Maryland

Maryland Board of Physicians - Consumer Complaints

Official complaint information for concerns involving physicians and other professionals regulated by the Maryland Board of Physicians.

URL: https://www.mbp.state.md.us/resource_information/res_con/resource_consumer_complaints.aspx

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine - Physician Complaint

Official Massachusetts resource for submitting a complaint against a physician.

URL: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/submit-a-complaint-against-a-physician

Michigan

Michigan LARA - File a Professional Licensing Complaint

Official Michigan licensing complaint process for regulated professionals, including medical practitioners.

URL: https://www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bpl/complaint/miplus/filing-a-complaint-with-miplus

Minnesota

Minnesota Board of Medical Practice - Complaints

Official complaint resource for physicians and other practitioners regulated by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.

URL: https://mn.gov/boards/medical-practice/consumers/complaints/

Mississippi

Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure - Complaints

Official complaint resource for concerns involving Mississippi physicians and other professionals regulated by the Board.

URL: https://www.msbml.ms.gov/Complaints

Missouri

Missouri Division of Professional Registration - Complaint Form

Official Missouri complaint form for regulated professionals. Select the appropriate medical licensing board or profession when submitting.

URL: https://mopro.mo.gov/license/s/complaint-form

Montana

Montana Professional Licensing - Filing a Complaint

Official complaint instructions for licensed professionals in Montana, including health-care practitioners.

URL: https://bsd.dli.mt.gov/filing-complaint

Nebraska

Nebraska DHHS - Health Professional Complaint

Official Nebraska online complaint portal for licensed health professionals.

URL: https://phcmplnt-dhhs.ne.gov/PublicComplaint

Nevada

Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners - MD Complaints

Official complaint page for physicians and other practitioners regulated by the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners.

URL: https://medboard.nv.gov/Patients/File_a_Complaint/

Separate osteopathic / provider complaint route

Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine - DO Enforcement

Official enforcement and complaint information for osteopathic physicians (DOs) licensed in Nevada.

URL: https://bom.nv.gov/Discipline/Enforcement/

New Hampshire

New Hampshire OPLC - File a Complaint

Official New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification complaint page for licensed professionals, including physicians.

URL: https://www.oplc.nh.gov/about-enforcement/file-complaint

New Jersey

New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs - Consumer Complaints

Official New Jersey complaint resource for licensed professionals and regulated businesses, including medical professionals.

URL: https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/Pages/Consumer-Complaints.aspx

New Mexico

New Mexico Medical Board - Complaints

Official complaint page for concerns involving physicians and other professionals regulated by the New Mexico Medical Board.

URL: https://www.nmmb.state.nm.us/complaints/

New York

New York Office of Professional Medical Conduct - File a Complaint

Official New York Department of Health complaint page for concerns about physicians, physician assistants, and certain other medical professionals.

URL: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/doctors/conduct/file_a_complaint/

North Carolina

North Carolina Medical Board - File a Complaint

Official complaint process for concerns involving physicians and other licensees regulated by the North Carolina Medical Board.

URL: https://www.ncmedboard.org/resources-information/consumer-resources/complaint-process/file-a-complaint

North Dakota

North Dakota Board of Medicine - File a Complaint

Official North Dakota Board of Medicine website. Use the site's complaint option to report concerns involving regulated medical professionals.

URL: https://www.ndbom.org/

Ohio

State Medical Board of Ohio - File a Complaint

Official complaint page for concerns involving physicians and other professionals regulated by the State Medical Board of Ohio.

URL: https://med.ohio.gov/help-center/file-a-complaint

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision - MD Complaints

Official complaint submission form for physicians and other professionals regulated by Oklahoma's medical licensing board.

URL: https://www.medicalboard.ok.gov/s/complaint-submission-form

Separate osteopathic / provider complaint route

Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners - DO Complaints

Official board website for osteopathic physicians (DOs). Use the complaint or disciplinary resources provided by the Board.

URL: https://www.ok.gov/osboe/

Oregon

Oregon Medical Board - How to File a Complaint

Official complaint instructions for concerns involving Oregon physicians and other practitioners regulated by the Medical Board.

URL: https://www.oregon.gov/omb/investigations/pages/how-to-file-a-complaint.aspx

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of State - File a Complaint

Official Pennsylvania complaint portal for licensed professionals. Select the relevant medical licensing board or profession when filing.

URL: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/file-a-complaint

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Department of Health - Submit a Complaint

Official Rhode Island Department of Health complaint resource for licensed health-care professionals and facilities.

URL: https://health.ri.gov/licensing/submit-complaint

South Carolina

South Carolina LLR - File a Complaint

Official South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation complaint portal for regulated professionals, including medical licensees.

URL: https://llr.sc.gov/fileacomplaint.aspx

South Dakota

South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners - Complaints

Official complaint resource for physicians and osteopathic physicians regulated by the South Dakota Board.

URL: https://www.sdbmoe.gov/complaints/

Tennessee

Tennessee Department of Health - Health Professional Licensure

Tennessee Department of Health licensure page containing complaint and disciplinary resources for licensed health professionals.

URL: https://www.tn.gov/health/licensure.html

Texas

Texas Medical Board - Complaint About a Licensee

Official complaint page for concerns involving physicians and other professionals regulated by the Texas Medical Board.

URL: https://www.tmb.texas.gov/resources/for-the-public/complaint-about-licensee

Utah

Utah Division of Professional Licensing - File a Complaint

Official Utah complaint page for licensed professionals, including medical practitioners.

URL: https://commerce.utah.gov/dopl/file-a-complaint/

Vermont

Vermont Board of Medical Practice - MD Complaints

Official complaint page for physicians and other practitioners regulated by the Vermont Board of Medical Practice.

URL: https://www.healthvermont.gov/systems/board-medical-practice/file-complaint

Separate osteopathic / provider complaint route

Vermont Office of Professional Regulation - DO Complaints

Official complaint and discipline page for professions regulated by Vermont OPR, including osteopathic physicians where applicable.

URL: https://sos.vermont.gov/opr/complaints-conduct-discipline/

Virginia

Virginia Department of Health Professions - File a Complaint

Official complaint resource for regulated health professionals in Virginia, including physicians.

URL: https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/PractitionerResources/Enforcement/FileaComplaint/

Washington

Washington Medical Commission - MD/PA Complaints

Official complaint page for physicians (MDs) and physician assistants regulated by the Washington Medical Commission.

URL: https://wmc.wa.gov/complaints-actions/file-complaint-against-md-or-pa

Separate osteopathic / provider complaint route

Washington Department of Health - DO/Other Provider Complaints

State complaint page for health-care providers and facilities. Use this route for osteopathic physicians (DOs) and other provider types as directed.

URL: https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/file-complaint-about-provider-or-facility

West Virginia

West Virginia Board of Medicine - MD Complaint Forms

Official forms and instructions for complaints involving physicians and other licensees regulated by the West Virginia Board of Medicine.

URL: https://wvbom.wv.gov/Instructions_and_Forms.asp

Separate osteopathic / provider complaint route

West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine - DO Complaints

Official board website for osteopathic physicians (DOs); use its complaint/disciplinary resources for concerns about a DO.

URL: https://www.wvbdosteo.org/

Wisconsin

Wisconsin DSPS - File a Complaint

Official Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services complaint page for regulated professionals, including medical licensees.

URL: https://dsps.wi.gov/seeking-information/file-a-complaint/

Wyoming

Wyoming Board of Medicine - File a Complaint

Official complaint page for concerns involving physicians and other professionals regulated by the Wyoming Board of Medicine.

URL: https://wyomedboard.wyo.gov/consumers/file-a-complaint

A note about reporting

Describe your own experience as accurately and factually as possible. Avoid assumptions about a clinician's intent. The licensing board determines whether the facts support further investigation or disciplinary action.

Blindsided by Benzos • 50-State Medical Board Complaint Directory