title: Comparative study of the abuse liability of alprazolam, lorazepam, diazepam, methaqualone, and placebo.
abstract: Subjective effects of two benzodiazepines--alprazolam and lorazepam--were compared with two drugs of known abuse potential--diazepam and methaqualone--and placebo. This double-blind, crossover trial tested 30 casual recreational sedative users in a seminaturalistic setting. Methaqualone was more euphoriant and less sedative than the benzodiazepines. Diazepam and lorazepam were more euphoriant than placebo; alprazolam's euphoriant effect did not differ from these treatments. On other measures of abuse liability the benzodiazepines rated similarly, diazepam rating highest.
authors.affiliation: McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts 02178.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Orzack
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dessain
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bird
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beake
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McEachern
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Cole
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000525:Alprazolam; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D003975:Diazepam; D005059:Euphoria / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008140:Lorazepam; D008297:Male; D008702:Methaqualone; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D008702:Methaqualone; D008140:Lorazepam; D003975:Diazepam; D000525:Alprazolam