Prescription Drugs... Downers  Two highly addictive drugs are not often seen as illegal drugs and associated with drug abuse, like heroin, coke and weed because they can still be got on prescription from the doctor.
What are these drugs?  Tranquillisers and Barbiturates, which are very effective in medical use but they’ve also become drugs of dependence, addiction and abuse.
Here are the facts: Tranquillisers:  More commonly known to you and me as Valium and also Librium- Known to Doctors as Benzodiazepines
- Also known as downers, tranxs and tranqs
- They’re given to relieve and anxi
 ety and help sleep - They’re illegal to have without a doctor’s prescription and are Class ‘C’ drug, which means that the punishment is the least severe for drug offences
- 1 night's sleep in 10, in this country, are helped by
 them - 30 million prescriptions are given out each year in this country
- All of them are available as tablets and some also come in capsule form and are swallowed
 They range in colour from blue to white to yellow- Doctors recommend taking them 4 times a day to get the necessary effects
- They have the positive effects of relieving
 tension and anxiety, they make you calm and relaxed, all of which can help sleep problems - They can have the negative effects of causing drowsiness, confusion, depression, headaches, flushing, slurred speech,
 dizziness, tremors, clumsiness, blurred vision, memory loss, and even rabid heartbeat and a fall in blood pressure - Valium is similar to other illegal drugs by bringing about a state of wellbeing
 It is possible to overdose on Tranxs. Large quantities of them can cause sleep, a feeing similar to being drunk and decreased breathing and heart rate, which can lead to coma and death- They’re the drugs with which most overdoses happen. Especially as the difference between a
 safe and fatal amounts is lowered when mixed with other drugs like alcohol and heroin - Mixing them with other drugs also heightens the effects
- They are psychologically AND physically addictive, and dependence and addiction can easily develop from a prescribed daily
 amount - People who stop taking them suffer withdrawal symptoms of dizziness, muscle spasms, distress, tingling, extreme sensitivity and headaches
- Dependence can also occur due to getting repeat prescriptions
- Sold illegally they usually cost between £2-10 per pill (August 2001)
Barbiturates  In pure form is white powder but in manufactured form come as tablets in every colour and two-tone and every colour capsules- Also known as Barbs, Sleepers, Downers and loads of other names linked to their colours
- Were the main form an anxiety relieving and sleep inducing drugs pre-1970, but have been replaced by tranquillisers
- Were phased-out as the level between safe, dangerous and fatal amounts was uncomfortably close, leading to many overdoses
 Also tablets and capsules were being broken down into powder and injected, particularly by heroin users, when heroin was short in supply or if looking for alternatives- A normal amount makes people tranquil and relaxed, though excitement, loss of co-ordination and memory can happen
- Pleasure increases with larger and amounts, which leads to sleep and a possible hangover when you wake up
 It is possible to overdose on large quantities, as they can cause decreased breathing and heart rate, which can lead to coma and death- Mixing them with other drugs also heightens the effects but also mean an overdose is more likely
- Using them short and long-term can lead to depression, insomnia, vertigo, breathing problems, delayed reactions, tiredness, emotional distress, impaired thinking and memory
 Tolerance to them goes up with use but the amount, which is fatal, does not, so a heavy user may overdose on an amount he needs to get the effect- They are psychologically AND physically addictive and dependence and addiction can easily develop
- People who stop taking them suffer withdrawal symptoms and can even get
 epileptic fits - Prescriptions have been reduced dramatically as they’ve been replaced by Tranxs but they’re sold illegally, usually costing between £2-10 per pill (August 2001)
Where to get help: If you or anybody you know are having problems with downers try the following places for help and support @ the Addictions Links Page.
Read:
by ChrisM
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Pills and Powders... ‘E’