Methaqualone - What Kind of Drug Is It?
What Kind of Drug Is It?
Methaqualone (meth-a-KWAY-lone) is a highly addictive, illegal, syntheticMade in a laboratory. drug. It was once widely prescribed as a treatment for insomnia, a sleep disorder, and anxiety, a condition characterized by feelings of fear, worry, restlessness, and panic. Methaqualone is probably best known by its former brand names, Quaalude and Mandrax. It was a legal substance from the 1960s until the early 1980s. Shortly after its introduction as a prescription drug in 1965, however, its popularity as a recreational drug skyrocketed among college students and pop-culture figures in music, film, and television. Recreational drugs are those used solely to get high, not for any medical reason.
By the early 1970s, the U.S. government reclassified the prescription status of methaqualone in an attempt to limit its availability. By then, though, imitations of the drug were flooding the market. During the 1970s, the illegal use of methaqualone grew steadily, reaching a peak in the early 1980s. The drug was popular at discos, where people went to socialize and dance. Soon doctors realized the problems associated with the drug and stopped prescribing Quaaludes. Several states then outlawed the sale of methaqualone.
In 1984, the government finally reclassified methaqualone as a Schedule I controlled substance. This is the designation given to a drug that is highly addictive and has no current medical use in the United States. It is illegal to manufacture, use, or possess a Schedule I drug. Within just two years of this action, the use of methaqualone dropped dramatically in the United States. By 1988, the drug was illegal in almost every country throughout the world.
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
