The quaalude comeback: a once ‘extinct’ drug from the 70s makes a resurgence | Drugs | The Guardian

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Guardian feature on the resurgence of quaaludes (methaqualone): history, why they disappeared, and factors behind recent renewed availability and use.

The quaalude comeback: a once ‘extinct’ drug from the 70s makes a resurgence | Drugs | The Guardian

Once prescribed as a sedative in the 1960s and 70s and later made illegal, methaqualone — commonly known by the brand name quaalude — is experiencing a surprising revival. Dealers and users report a new supply entering club and party scenes, often imported and sold under various street names. The article traces the drug’s path from mainstream medicine to banned substance, examines its appeal today, and hears from users, harm‑reduction workers and drug‑policy experts about the risks. Concerns focus on unpredictable potency, combinations with other central nervous system depressants such as alcohol or benzodiazepines, and the lack of established treatment pathways for a drug that many believed had vanished. The piece also explores how changes in global production, gaps in regulation and shifts in recreational drug trends have contributed to quaaludes’ reappearance, and argues for updated public‑health responses including testing, education and accessible addiction services.

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