APPENDIX (Additional Statements and Articles submitted for the Record) 1. Article, "Methaqualone-A Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" The PharmChem Newsletter, vol. 2, No. 1, 1973_.. 2. Statement and letter to Hon. Birch Bayh from Suzanne B. Spencer, 3. Letter to John Rector, deputy chief counsel of the subcommittee from Page 311 312 314 314 5. Article, "Methaqualone (Quaalude-300) And REM Sleep," The Med- 317 7. Letter and statement to John Rector, deputy chief counsel of the subcommittee from Sidney H. Scholl, M.D., September 19, 1972, "Withdrawal Syndrome With Methaqualone". 8. Article, "Methaqualone," Advances in forensic and clinical toxicology, 9. Newsletter, Connection, "Bigger than Marijuana, Methaqualone: 319 324 326 336 343 350 12. Article, "Petty Poison, A Cold Look at a Hot Drug," by Julia Cameron, 353 360 14. Article, “A Report on Quaaludes and Other Methaqualone Drugs,' 15. Article, "Sopors Are A Bummer," by Kenny Weissberg, Vibrations, 18. Article, "Unconsciousness Expansion: The Sopor Story," by Charles 364 366 369 370 372 19. Article, "Luding Out" To the Editor: Correspondence, New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 287, No. 1, July 6, 1972. 378 20. Article, "Mandrax" To the Editor: Correspondence, British Medical Journal, March 1, 1969, p. 577-578_. 379 21. Article, "Dependency on Methaqualone Hydrochloride (Melsedin)" To the Editor: Correspondence, British Medical Journal, March 12, 1966, p. 676.. 379 (VII) Page 22. Article, "Methaqualone Addiction and Delirium Tremens," British Medical Journal, July 8, 1967, p. 92–93_ 380 23. Article, "There's Gold in Them There Pills," by Peter J. Ognibene, The New Republic, April 21, 1973- 381 24. Letter to Hon. Birch Bayh, from Mrs. Richard Van Riper, March 30, 1973... 383 25. Letter to Hon. Birch Bayh, chairman, Subcommittee To Investigate Juvenile Delinquency, from Ernest B. Howard, M.D., American Medical Association, May 4, 1973– 384 26. Article, "Methaqualone Is Newest Arrival on Drug Scene," by David Drake, Columbus Citizen-Journal, May 22, 1973. 27. Article, "Pure Downer' Tells Life of Drug Use, Abuse," by David Drake, Columbus Citizen-Journal, May 23, 1973_ 28. Article, "Medical Personnel Tell Drug Case Horrors," by David 385 387 389 391 30. Questions: "Drug I.Q. Test,", a "Do It Now" publication, Phoenix, Ariz. 31. Answers: "Drug I.Q. Test," a "Do It Now" publication, Phoenix, Ariz. 32. AMA Drug Evaluations, Chapter 27 entitled, "Sedatives and Hypnotics," 1st Edition, 1971... 33. Article, "Quaalude Alley: A One-Way Street," by T. Peter Bridge, M.D., and Everett H. Ellinwood, Jr., M.D., American Journal of Psychiatry 130:2, February 1973.. 441 447 453 456 36. Poem, "The Soporific Experience," from "The Tibetan Book of the Laid-Back". 35. Article, "Quaaludes, Been Down So Long It Seems Like Up To Me," by R. T. Munger, Divine, June 1973, pp. 47–50.... 34. Article, “Quaaludes, Jekyll and Hyde Pills, The Public Will Swallow Anything," by Jim Bass, Divine, June 1973, pp. 41-46.. 459 464 468 THE METHAQUALONE CONTROL ACT OF 1973 S. 1252 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1973 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY Washington, D.C. The subcommittee (composed of Senators Bayh, Hart, Burdick, Kennedy, Cook, Hruska, Fong, and Mathias) met, pursuant to notice, at 2:10 p.m. in room 2228, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Birch Bayh (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Senators Bayh and Kennedy. Also present: Mathea Falco, staff director and chief counsel; John M. Rector, deputy chief counsel; Mary K. Jolly, editorial director and chief clerk; Nancy L. Smith, research director; B. Elizabeth Marten; personal secretary to the staff director and chief counsel; Catherine van de Velde, secretary; F. Woodman Jones, research assistant; Lance Ringel, assistant clerk; Ronald Meredith, legislative assistant to Senator Cook; Betty A. Webb, minority clerk; Chuck Bruce, legislative assistant to Senator Hruska; and Robert Bates, legislative assistant to Senator Kennedy; and Alice B. Popkin, special counsel. Senator BAYH. We would ask that our juvenile delinquency hearings please come to order. I would like to insert at this point in the record the text of the subcommittee's enabling resolution, S. Res. 56, section 12; the text of Public Law 91-513, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, dated October 27, 1970; and, the text of the legislation before us today, S. 1252, the Methaqualone Control Act of 1973, dated March 15, 1973. [The documents were marked "Exhibit No. 1, 2, and 3," respectively and follow on pp. 6-73.] Senator BAYI. I have a statement 13 pages in length which was prepared to lay the background for our studies which I would like to put in the record so that I might spare all of those present the necessity of sitting through the enumeration of all the details. If anybody would like to have a copy, there are plenty available. [Senator Bayh's prepared statement is as follows:] OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR BIRCH BAYH AT HEARINGS ON We meet today to explore the nature and seriousness of methaqualone abuse, the extent to which legitimately produced methaqualone is diverted to the illicit market, and the adequacy of current controls on the production and distribution of methaqualone. (1) During the course of our barbiturate hearings, increasing reference was made to the growing incidence of methaqualone abuse. The drug is known as the "love drug," "heroin for lovers," and "the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde drug." Methaqualone is a nonbarbiturate sedative-hypnotic. It is pharmacologically equivalent to the short and intermediate acting barbiturates. Since abusers are primarily interested in pharmacological effects rather than the chemical classification, it is not surprising that this nonbarbiturate is being widely abused. Best known on the streets as "sopors" and "quaaludes," this drug rates attention because of its newly recognized abuse potential and harmful effects. The generic methaqualone is manufactured by several firms under the names Quaalude (Rorer), Sopor (Arnar-Stone), Optimil (Wallace), Parest (ParkeDavis) and Somnafac (Cooper). It is available in strengths ranging from 75 mgs., the typical "daytime sedation" dosage, to 400 mgs. for sleeplessness. Law enforcement and drug program officials claim that it is the "hottest drug on the street" and that its abuse is rising in "geometric proportions." Reports indicate that abuse of methaqualone has increased in the 1970's to a near epidemic proportion which parallels the abuse of amphetamines in the 1960's. Some say that you can discern an emerging "methaqualoneculture." You can buy your choice of "sopor" or “quaalude" T-shirts and sweat-shirts. At the Mary Sol rock festival in Puerto Rico last spring, it is reported that pushers were selling "sopors" in place of the usual acid, PCP, THC, mescaline and speed. They were so popular among the youths who camped out at last year's political convention that Miami Beach's Flamingo Park was dubbed “Quaalude Alley." "Sopors" were the most prevalent drugs at the July 4, 1972, Rolling Stones concert at Shady Grove Maryland. The former managing editor of the University of Maryland student newspaper reports that "quaaludes are all over the campuses." Similar reports have been received from other area campuses, including American University. And just last week the president of New York University issued a special memo warning students that "quaalude" may be addictive, its side-effects dangerous and sometimes fatal. In New York City there are enough committed "luders," "quaalude" abusers, to support some 15 clubs that cater to the downer crowd. At such "in" crowd spots as the Zoo and the Fudge Factory, one can purchase methaqualone mixed with aspirin from dealers who travel by taxi from one club to the next. In my own State of Indiana, the abuse of methaqualone has increased substantially in the past 6 months, particularly among youths 13-20. Directors of drug crisis centers, personnel operating drug hotlines, and law enforcement officers in many Indiana communities, including Evansville, South Bend, Bloomington, Terre Haute, Muncie, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Anderson, Peru, and Kokomo, report that methaqualone abuse is increasingly common. They express deep concern because abusers belive the drug to be a safe nonaddicting downer. In many ways, the drug has become more attractive to potential abusers because of its nonbarbiturate characterization. The abuser who is "luding out," mistakenly thinks that he or she is using a less dangerous, nonaddictive barbiturate substitute. In fact, recent reports indicate that methaqualone is not only the rage in the addict community and on college and high school campuses, but it is so fashionable in some cities that bowls of "sopors" have replaced peanuts as a cocktail party staple. Individuals who would not abuse amphetamines or barbiturates are abusing “sopors" in ever increasing numbers. Methaqualone is thought by many to be an aphrodisiac. It is referred to as the "love Crug" and "heroin for lovers." Like barbiturates and alcohol, "sopors" do lower inhibitions. Whether fact or fiction, this characterization and attendant attractiveness compounded their abuse potential. Most alarming is the fact that methaqualone is often combined with alcohol, wine and beer. As with barbiturates, this is a deadly mixture. There is a potentiation, so that one multiplies the effects of the other. If these practices continue we can expect growing numbers of tragedies associated with methaqualone abuse. As with barbiturates, abuse of methaqualone is risky business, but combining it with alcohol is suicidal. Methaqualone, because of the casual consideration it receives may have an even greater potential for abuse than the barbiturates. Methaqualone, is ineed, the “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde drug”—seemingly safe while actually deadly. Although widespread abuse of methaqualone is a relatively recent phenomenon in this country, the problems associated with it are no mystery to students of its abuse. Epidemic outbreaks of methaqualone abuse have occurred in Japan and European nations during the 1960's. A study of 411 drug addicts treated in mental hospital from 1963 to 1966 in Japan, found that 176—or 42.8 percent-abused methaqualone. When withdrawn from the drug, 9 percent of these methaqualone abusers experienced convulsions and delirium symptoms. The chief reason for these hospital admissions was violent antisocial behavior associated with methaqualone abuse. Apparently the serious methaqualone abuser develops the same disoriented mean drunk temper as the barbiturate abuser. In this country, methaqualone has not been subject to as much scrutiny as the more traditional sedative-hypnotics. Several studies, however, have concluded that chronic abuse of methaqualone does lead to tolerance and, when the drug is discontinued, to withdrawal symptoms. The American Medical Association's Council on Drugs says of methaqualone that "long-term use of larger than usual therapeutic doses may result in physical and psychic dependence." The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics, a non-profit publication providing unbiased critical evaluation of drugs by a board of eminent physicians, states: "Despite manufacturer's claims that 'even after wide use physical dependence has not been established' . . . we belive it should be classified as a physical dependence producing drug.” Overdoses on "sopors" are being reported with increasing frequency. For example, in the past few months the Drug Crisis Center in Columbus, Ohio has handled nearly 200 methaqualone overdose cases. Coma and convulsions can result from an acute overdose. (Averaging 2.4 grams or 6 400 mg. capsules) Doctors at the Haight-Ashbury Clinic in San Francisco report that a regular user of 7-10 300mg. tablets over a three or four week period can expect serious problems if he or she withdraws suddenly. If not carefully treated after abrupt discontinuance of methaqualone, they report that "the methaqualone abuser, like the heavy barb user, will almost certainly convulse within a period of from 3 to 5 days." Severe toxic overdose causes pronounced depression of the respiratory centers, which can be fatal. Death has occurred following ingestion of 8 grams of methaqualone, but with alcohol the lethal dosage is greatly reduced. Los Angeles County reports 4 "sopor" fatalities this year. In Dade County, Florida, 11 methaqualone related deaths were reported from October 1971 to November 1972. According to the BNDD, distribution of methaqualone in the hypnotic dosage form (150-400mg.) has increased 1,500% in the past 5 years. One manufacturer's production has increased from 8 million pills in 1968 to over 100 million pills in 1972. BNDD feels "unquestionably, the vast quantities manufactured are a major factor in the growing abuse." These are not drugs illicitly grown in Turkey and refined in France. Not drugs grown and refined in Asia's Golden Triangle. These are dangerous drugs produced legitimately within our own borders and illicitly diverted to the blackmarket. I belive that widespread abuse of this substance can be significantly curtailed by limiting the supply of the drug to recognized legitimate needs, and by simultaneously placing tighter controls on the distribution and prescription, and recordkeeping procedures required for methaqualone. I have introduced the "Methaqualone Control Act" which places the drug on schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Methaqualone is a prescription drug, but is not controlled under the 1970 act. Under schedule II, methaqualone would be subject to production quotas, stricter distribution controls, and more stringent import and export regulations. Diversion from legitimate channels occurs at all levels of distribution. This includes thefts, employee pilferage, unauthorized sales and in some instances excessive and unlawful prescribing and dispension. Methaqualone is readily available. In Indiana, the 150 mg. tablets sell on the street for 50 cents to $1. Our preliminary surveys indicate that this price range is fairly typical of the street market in other regions of the country. |