Benzodiazepine

 Sedative, Hypnotics / Benzodiazepines

Street Names:  Reds, Rainbows, Yellow Jackets, Ludes, and Roofies.

Other forms: Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines and Tranquilizers

This class of drugs is mainly only available through a prescription. Barbiturates are prescribed drugs used to aid sleep for insomniacs and for the control of seizures. These drugs include Seconal, Nembutal, Tuinal, Amytal, and Phenobarbital. There are also non-barbiturate sedative-hypnotics with similar effects, but with different pharmacological properties. These include Doriden, Quaalude, Miltown, and Equini. Being a scheduled I drug Qualude cannot be legally prescribed in the United States.

The development of benzodiazepines or minor tranquilizers reduced the original number of prescriptions for barbiturates written by physicians. These drugs were initially seen as safe and having  little abuse potential. The benzodiazepines are among the most widely prescribed drugs and include Valium, Librium, Dalmane, Halcion, xanax and Ativan.

A benzodiazepine that has been in the news lately is Rohypnol ( Roofies ). This drug is illegal in the United States, but is widely prescribed in Europe as a sleeping pill. When used in combination with alcohol, Rohypnol produces disinhibition and and amnesia.

Rohypnol has become known as the " date rape" drug because of reported instances in which women have been unknowingly given the drug while drinking. When women are sexually assaulted they cannot easily remember the events surrounding the event.

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