The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Quaaludes, often called "ludes," are a sedative-hypnotic drug, methaqualone, formerly used to treat insomnia. The drug produces a feeling of euphoria (intense well-being) that lasts for a few hours. Fatal overdoses can occur when the drug is used alone, but especially when it is mixed with alcohol and/or barbiturates.
A popular drug of abuse among college students in the 1960s and 1970s, Quaaludes are now illegal. In 1975 Quaalude use was about half the level of barbiturate use. In 1981 the annual rate of use was 7.6 percent, and use steadily dropped through 1993, when only 0.2 percent of high-school students reported using it. As with many other drugs of abuse, use of Quaaludes increased somewhat through the early 1990s, reaching 1.1 percent in 1996, where it remained through 1999. Use then dropped to 0.8 percent in 2001.
Accidents and Injuries from Alcohol; Accidents and Injuries from Drugs; Addiction: Concepts and Definitions; Sedative and Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs.