Methaqualone

Methaqualone is a commonly used illegal drug in South Africa. According to the South African police service:

Methaqualone was introduced into the pharmaceutical market as non- addictive ‘sleeping pills’ in 1965. It was listed in the US Federal Register of March 1966 as an approved sedative-hypnotic under the trade name Quaalude. The abuse potential of methaqualone soon became apparent, resulting in the drug being listed in the 1971 United Nations (UN) Convention on Psychotropic Substances. It was subsequently banned in most UN member countries. Methaqualone is currently listed in the UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1988.