noun
- Plural of methaqualon; a sedative-hypnotic drug formerly used as a sleeping aid, now largely discontinued or controlled due to abuse potential.
Usage: pharmaceutical; dated; often used in medical or historical contexts
Examples
- Methaqualones were commonly prescribed in the 1970s as a treatment for insomnia.
- The abuse of methaqualones led to stricter regulations on their distribution.
- Medical records from that era show methaqualones were among the most frequently dispensed sedatives.
- Methaqualones have largely been replaced by safer, more modern sleep medications.