Barbiturates

Amytal, Amytal Sodium, Soneryl, Prominal, Nembutal, Luminal, Seconal sodium, Tuinal

Street Names

Nembies, Seggies, Chewies, Barbies, Barbs, Sleepers, Blue Bullets, Blue Devils, gorillas, pink ladies

Effects

Barbiturates are sedative drugs, which slow down the central nervous system in a similar way to alcohol. A small dose will make people feel relaxed, sociable and good-humoured. With larger doses hostility and anxiety are common effects and slurred speech, loss of co-ordination and difficulty staying awake may follow. Falling over and accidents become more likely. Injected into a vein barbiturates produce an almost immediate feeling of warmth and drowsiness.

Health Risks

There is a high risk of overdose because the lethal dose is quite close to the 'normal' dose level. 10 tablets may be fatal and this risk is greater if barbiturate use is combined with use of other downer drugs such as alcohol, heroin or tranquillisers. Besides the usual hazards of injecting (hepatitis, HIV etc.) barbiturate injectors run an increased risk of overdose, gangrene and skin abscesses. Heavy users are also liable to bronchitis and pneumonia (because the cough reflex is suppressed) and hypothermia. Regular use of barbiturates in the later stages of pregnancy can result in withdrawal symptoms in newborn babies.

Tolerance

Tolerance and physical dependence develop with regular use. Withdrawal from regular use may result in irritability, anxiety, inability to sleep, faintness and nausea, twitching and occasionally convulsions. After very high doses and regular use, severe withdrawal symptoms are likely including seizures, low blood pressure, delirium and hallucinations. Sudden withdrawal from high doses can be fatal. Withdrawal from barbiturates should be medically managed/supervised. Barbiturates are synthetic drugs, which used to be regularly prescribed for anxiety, depression and insomnia. However, they are highly dangerous because of the small difference between a normal dose and an overdose and many people were either accidentally dying or deliberately using them to commit suicide. Therefore they are only now prescribed for very serious insomnia. A less dangerous type is also used to treat epilepsy. Barbiturates used to be a regular feature of the UK drugs scene, but because there is very little prescribing and no illicitly made varieties around, fortunately little is seen of them these days.

Law:

Barbiturates are a Class B drug, which are only legally available on prescription.

 

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