METHAQUALONE
Important information regarding METHAQUALONE drug use
Glutethimide (Doriden) was introduced in 1954 and methaqualone (Quaalude, Sopor) in 1965 a safe barbiturate substitutes. Experience showed, however, that their addiction liability and the severity of withdrawal symptoms were similar to those of barbiturates.
By 1972, "luding out," taking methaqualone with wine, was a popular college pastime. Excessive use leads to tolerance, dependence and withdrawal symptoms similar to those of barbiturates. Overdose by glutethimide and methaqualone is more difficult to treat than barbiturate overdose, and deaths have frequently occurred. In the United States, the marketing of methaqualone pharmaceutical products stopped in 1984 and methaqualone was transferred to Schedule I of the CSA. In 1991, glutethimide was transferred into Schedule II in response to an upsurge in the prevalence of diversion, abuse and overdose deaths.
[Abstracted from D.E.A. website q.v.]
| METHAQUALONE |
|---|
| Effects |
| Sedative hypnotic..... with a unique specificity in regard to sexual disinhibition! |
| Incidence of Abuse |
| Probably rare. |
| Forms and Street Names |
| Methaqualone, under the trade name "Quaalude," was a widely prescribed sedative hypnotic in the 1970's. Because of its toxicity and the development of the much safer benzodiazepines, it was removed from the maket in 1983 and is now classified as a Schedule I drug! [no legal medical use in the U.S.] |
| Length of time detectable after user |
| 2 - 4 days. |
| Metabolite Actually sought in urine |
| Methaqualone |
| Confounding drugs (or factors): |
| None known |
| Screening Cut-off: |
| 300 ng/ml |
| Confirmation GC/MS Cut-of |
| 300 ng/ml |
| Facts for Verifying M.R.O |
| Verification is straightforward because Methaqualone is now Schedule I. Employers, however, deserve to be told that including Methaqualone in test panels has long been felt to be NOT ECONOMICALLY JUSTIFIABLE! |
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