Parents, Know the Facts! – Mandrax

MANDRAX IS A LITTLE, MULTI-COLOURED TABLET WITH A SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR ADDICTION.

Mandrax, also known as methqualone, is a sedative substance that developed from barbiturate medicines such as sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications. This was marketed globally as Quaalude, and South Africa is the only country where it is smoked in a dagga pipe as mandrax.

Forms of Mandrax: tablet or in a powdered form.

PARAPHERNALIA:

Broken cigarettes, homemade filters - known as a "Diamond", broken bottles and bottle necks, matches, brown stained tissues, containers used to spit in, Lotto and Tab entry tickets(used to crush the mandrax.

EFFECTS OF MANDRAX

There is no safe level of substance misuse. The following effects may be experienced:

Relaxation – feeling happy (or laughing), calm and carefree, confusion, aggression – when the high wears off, nausea and vomiting, falling over and passing out, sleep.

WITHDRAWAL

When a person becomes tolerant or addicted to a substance, the sudden stop of misusing the substance might cause withdrawal. These symptoms can include:

Restlessness, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate, irregular heartbeat, insomnia, tremors, hallucinations, confusion, seizures.

LONG TERM EFFECTS

Risk of addiction – tolerance is built up rapidly, decreased immune system, convulsions, mental and physical deterioration, breathing becomes slower leading to respiratory failure, comas or death.