Quaaludes See Resurgence Driven by Pop Culture and Underground Production
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Quaaludes See Resurgence Driven by Pop Culture and Underground Production
- Quaaludes, the brand name for methaqualone, were banned in the US in 1984 due to high abuse potential and addiction.
- The 2013 film *The Wolf of Wall Street*, depicting scenes of Quaalude use, is credited with sparking renewed interest in the drug, according to researcher Jack Allocca.
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Quaaludes, a sedative-hypnotic drug also known as methaqualone, are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, decades after being banned in the United States in 1984. Originally prescribed in the 1960s and 1970s for insomnia and anxiety, the drug quickly gained notoriety for its euphoric effects and high potential for abuse, leading to its reclassification as a Schedule I controlled substance.
The renewed interest is significantly linked to the 2013 film *The Wolf of Wall Street*, which prominently featured the drug. According to Jack Allocca, a drug pharmacology researcher, the film created substantial hype around Quaaludes, attracting “connoisseur psychonauts” and those seeking to emulate the film’s “cool” factor.
While legal production ceased in most countries, including the US, underground chemists, particularly in South Africa, have continued illicit manufacturing of methaqualone, often referred to as Mandrax. These illicitly produced Quaaludes began appearing on the dark web around 2018 and have become more widely available on platforms like Telegram since the end of the pandemic.
The synthesis of methaqualone is not considered a complicated process, making it appealing to criminal networks. However, the quality and content of these illicitly produced pills can be inconsistent, with many purported Quaaludes actually containing other substances like diphenhydramine or benzodiazepines, or being inert. The rapid development of tolerance and high addiction potential were key reasons for the original ban, with 117 related deaths reported in 1980 at the peak of its popularity. New designer methaqualone analogs, some with significantly higher potency, have also been identified on the illicit market as recently as late 2025.