Drugs & Alcohol Facts
Tranquillisers
Also known as: Jellies, benzos, eggs, norries, rugby balls, vallies, moggies, mazzies, roofies, downers.
Looks like: Manmade drugs produced to treat anxiety, depression and insomnia. Manufactured to be prescribed by a doctor, they're designed to reduce anxiety and promote calmness, relaxation and sleep. Tranquillise
How it is taken: Swallowed. Taken as suppositories. Injected.
The effects: Tranquillisers have a sedative effect. They work by depressing the nervous system and slowing the body down. They may relieve tension and anxiety and can make the user feel calm and relaxed. Big doses can make a user sleepy and forgetful and can send them to sleep.
Downside: Benzodiazepines can be highly addictive. Tranquillisers are a depressant and if they're taken with other depressive drugs like alcohol it can lead to accidental overdose. Some can cause short-term memory loss. Injecting crushed tablets or melted down gel capsules is extremely dangerous and sometimes fatal. Withdrawal can cause unpleasant symptoms like headaches, nausea, anxiety and confusion. These can be dangerous and require medical help. Sudden withdrawal after big doses or from some specific drugs can cause panic attacks and fits. The tranquilliser Flunitrazepam (brand name ‘Rohypnol’) is suspected of having been used for ‘spiking’ drinks in alleged ‘date rapes’.
Class: Class C
The Law: Tranquillisers can only be prescribed by a pharmacist. They are controlled under Class C of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
