During one week in 1985, 227 general practitioners in the County of Arhus, Denmark, recorded their prescriptions of benzodiazepines. In all 2,812 prescriptions were recorded, for 2,574 patients. The sex ratio (male/female) was 1.0/2.0. The incidence of first-time prescriptions was 26.0 prescriptions/1,000 inhabitants/year. The prescription rate, calculated as defined daily doses/1,000 inhabitants/day, was highest for minor tranquillizers in the age group 60-69, whereas for hypnotics/sedatives it was highest in the age group 70+. Of minor tranquillizers, 83-84% were prescribed as anxiolytics, and of hypnotics/sedatives, 98% were prescribed as hypnotics. Only 18-28% of patients had a diagnosis of psychiatric illness. Between 62-75% of patients received no other treatment than a benzodiazepine prescription. At the time of the first prescriptions, 44-57% of the patients were mentally distressed. For about 33% of patients, a somatic illness was of essential importance for the prescription. Twenty-six percent of the men and 17% of the women taking benzodiazepines were recognized as real or potential abusers. Eighty-three percent of repeat prescriptions were prescribed through indirect contacts.