Erimin 5 is the street name for nimetazepam, a strong sleeping pill from the benzodiazepine family. In Malaysia it is sold illegally as small tablets, often called "eramin 5", "happy 5" or simply "pil". It calms, sedates and blurs memory, the body gets used to it quickly, and stopping suddenly after regular use can cause fits. Help is available, and the safest way off it is a planned, medically guided reduction.
This guide explains what the pills are, what they do, the signs of a problem, what the law says, and how to stop safely. It is general information, not medical advice.
What is Erimin 5?
Nimetazepam was made by a Japanese company and sold as 5 mg Erimin tablets for severe insomnia. The maker stopped producing Erimin in November 2015. It belongs to the same family as diazepam and alprazolam: medicines that slow the brain down.
Because the original brand is no longer made, most "Erimin 5" sold in Malaysia today is produced illegally. A forensic study at Universiti Sains Malaysia found seized tablets contained nimetazepam or etizolam, another sedative. So someone buying "Erimin" cannot know what is in it or how strong it is, which makes overdose more likely.
Seizures are regular news. In March 2026, police in Seberang Perai seized Erimin pills and syabu worth more than RM2.7 million. In June 2026, 350 foil sheets of suspected Erimin 5 were seized with ketamine in Ipoh, and one of the three people arrested was 17.
Why people take it
- To sleep or calm down. Some start with real insomnia or anxiety and keep taking more.
- To come down from syabu. Erimin is often used to sleep after days on methamphetamine, and is commonly mixed with syabu, ecstasy or heroin.
- For the "high". In larger doses it gives a drunk, careless, carefree feeling, which is why it is called "happy 5".
Our guide to sleeping pills and cough syrup misuse covers how dependence on prescribed sedatives usually starts.
Effects and risks
Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau lists these effects of nimetazepam:
- heavy drowsiness and loss of consciousness
- poor judgement and blurred vision
- slurred speech and clumsy movement
- poor memory and concentration
The bigger dangers:
- Mixing with alcohol, heroin or other sedatives. Together they can slow breathing to the point of coma or death. This is the most common way people die from these pills.
- Unknown strength. Illegal tablets vary, so a "usual" number of pills can be far too many.
- Accidents and risky behaviour. Memory blanks, falls, road accidents and doing things the person later cannot remember.
- Mental health. Low mood and anxiety often get worse with regular use, especially when used alongside syabu. Our guide to depression and addiction explains why the two need treating together.
Tolerance and addiction
The body adapts to benzodiazepines fast. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation notes that taking them regularly leads to tolerance, so more is needed for the same effect, and advises against regular use for more than two to four weeks. An older Malaysian poison centre article notes that people who misuse these pills may end up taking 10 to 20 times the normal dose.
Signs that use has become a problem:
- needing more pills to sleep or feel calm
- feeling anxious, shaky or unable to sleep without them
- buying from friends or online, or "doctor shopping"
- memory gaps, missed work, or money going missing
- using them with syabu, alcohol or heroin
Our guide to the signs of drug use covers what families usually notice first.
Withdrawal: why you should not stop suddenly
Withdrawal from Erimin and other benzodiazepines can be dangerous. Symptoms listed by the Central Narcotics Bureau include anxiety, insomnia, nausea and vomiting, a fast heartbeat, heavy sweating, violent shaking, confusion and fits.
- Symptoms usually start within a day of the last dose.
- Most settle over a few weeks, but sleep and anxiety problems can last for months.
- The Alcohol and Drug Foundation warns that stopping suddenly can cause seizures and death.
The safe approach is a slow, planned reduction with a doctor. A doctor may switch the person to a longer-acting medicine such as diazepam and reduce the dose step by step, roughly 10% every two to four weeks, adjusted to how they cope. Anyone using Erimin with alcohol, or who has had a fit before, needs medical supervision. Our guide to drug withdrawal symptoms explains what to expect from other drugs.
In an emergency, such as a seizure, very slow breathing or someone who cannot be woken, call 999.
Erimin 5 and the law in Malaysia
Nimetazepam is tightly controlled in Malaysia, and buying, selling or carrying Erimin 5 tablets is illegal. Large seizures are charged under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping. Our guide to drug laws in Malaysia explains possession, trafficking and what happens after an arrest.
If someone is worried about a criminal record, the voluntary route through AADK lets a person come forward for treatment themselves.
How to stop and get help
- See a doctor first. Be honest about how many pills you take, how often, and what else you use. A government clinic or a private GP can plan a safe reduction.
- Do not stop suddenly if you have been taking Erimin daily for more than a few weeks.
- Treat the reasons behind it. Poor sleep, anxiety, depression or syabu use need their own treatment, or the pills come back.
- Involve family. A calm conversation works better than a confrontation. Our guide on how to talk to someone about getting help shows how.
- Consider residential care if outpatient attempts have failed, if Erimin is mixed with syabu, heroin or alcohol, or if home is not a safe place to stop.
AADK offers free treatment, and Malaysia had 191,832 people in drug treatment and rehabilitation in 2025. For private options, see our pages on prescription drug addiction treatment and drug rehab in Malaysia.
Frequently asked questions
Is Erimin 5 the same as a sleeping pill?
Yes. Nimetazepam is a benzodiazepine sleeping pill. The difference is that what is sold as "Erimin 5" in Malaysia today is usually made illegally, so the strength and contents are unknown.
How long does Erimin stay in the body?
Nimetazepam has a long half-life, often quoted at around 14 to 30 hours, so its effects and traces can last more than a day. Our guide to how long drugs stay in your system covers urine tests.
Can you overdose on Erimin 5?
Yes, especially when it is mixed with alcohol, heroin or other sedatives, or when an illegal tablet is stronger than expected.
Is Erimin addictive?
Yes. Regular use leads to tolerance and physical dependence within weeks, and withdrawal can be severe.
Can someone recover from Erimin addiction?
Yes. With a safe reduction plan, treatment for the sleep, mood or drug problems underneath, and support from family, people do recover. Read how drugs affect the brain to see how the brain heals over time.
Getting help at Salus
Salus is a voluntary, 90-day residential programme for adults aged 18 and over in Cyberjaya, Selangor, with treatment alongside medical care. Families from across Malaysia come to us when pills, often with syabu or alcohol, have taken over. Fees start from RM7,000 a month; medication, deposits, medically supervised detox and any transfer to a psychiatric facility are charged separately. For a free, confidential conversation with no obligation, contact us, or read about our addiction rehab centre in Malaysia.
This article is general information, not medical advice.
