Pharmaceutical powder compositions

A composition in the form of a mixture of powders or granules, the composition comprising a benzodiazepine drug and a salt of chitosan, a derivative of chitosan that has been formed by bonding acyl or alkyl groups with hydroxyl groups of the chitosan, or a salt of the derivative of chitosan, but not comprising type A cationic gelatin, wherein the mean particle size of the powder is 0.012 mm to 0.6 mm and the chitosan has a molecular weight of 10,000 to 800,000 Da, and wherein the salt of chitosan, the derivative of chitosan or the salt of a derivative of chitosan has a solubility in water of at least 10 mg/ml at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, such that when the composition is intranasally administered to a subject, a therapeutically effective amount of the benzodiazepine drug is absorbed into the subject's systemic circulation.