title: Methaqualone misuse: foreign experience and United States drug control policy.
abstract: In 1972 methaqualone emerged as a major drug of nonmedical use in the United States--a subject of widespread publicity and public concern. In late 1973, government officials responded by taking the unprecedented measure of imposing the strictest controls available under United States law on a drug which had previously been subject only to a simple prescription requirement. Methaqualone had a similar history in other countries, particularly in Germany, Japan, and Great Britain. However, this history was ignored by United States officials until nonmedical methaqualone use had become a substantial problem in the United States.
mesh_terms: D001046:Aphrodisiacs; D003128:Coma / Q000139:chemically induced; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D005059:Euphoria / Q000187:drug effects; D005860:Germany, West; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008702:Methaqualone / Q000266:history / Q000494:pharmacology; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000187:drug effects; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D001046:Aphrodisiacs; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D008702:Methaqualone