noun
- a synthetic sedative and hypnotic drug formerly used as a sleeping pill but now banned in many countries due to its high potential for abuse and addiction
Usage: medical; controlled substance
Examples
- Methaqualone was widely prescribed as a sleep aid in the 1960s and 1970s.
- The drug methaqualone became popular for recreational use despite its medical purpose.
- Many countries banned methaqualone after reports of widespread abuse.
- Methaqualone withdrawal can cause severe symptoms and requires medical supervision.
- The manufacture of methaqualone is now strictly controlled or prohibited in most nations.
- Doctors stopped prescribing methaqualone when safer alternatives became available.