Xanax is the market or trade name for the drug alprazolam. It is a strong benzodiazepine, with short lasting effects. These two characteristic have led to it becoming a very widely used recreational benzodiazepine in the United States, as benzodiazepine class drugs have anxiolytic, hypnotic, sedative, anticonvulsant and amnesic properties. As is the case with many medicines which are abused, it is believed to be safe for use as it is almost always acquired in a clinical, controlled form, but it can cause addiction, with a list of nasty withdrawal symptoms ranging from vomiting to suicidal ideation and suicide. Due to the adverse effects of the medication, it is a Class C controlled substance in the United Kingdom, and a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States. The drug is available on prescription in the US, and whilst it is not available through the National Health Service in the UK, it can be obtained on private prescription.
The drug is usually acquired in tablet form - small white coloured caplets - though due to the extremely low weight of a dose, it has also been found on occasion blotted onto paper, in a similar way to LSD. The ease of taking a drug in pill form is one factor that leads to its high risk of abuse, yet many people choose to administer the drug in other ways.
Injection is extremely rare, due to the need to find clean hypodermic equipment and most people's aversion to hypodermics, but it has been observed to happen. Alprazolam is quite difficult to dissolve in water, meaning that a lot of preparations made for injection contain larger particles of the crushed up pills than would be acceptable for the arteries of the human body. This often leads to blockages and extreme damage of the arteries, which can in turn lead to heart failure. Thorough filtration of the preparation will usually prevent this, but it should be noted than an appropriate substrate is just as important - injecting a base of alcohol will usually lead to an overdose.
Insufflation, or snorting, is another method of administration, but it is still less successful than the pill form, as the low solubility of the drug means it doesn't easily cross the nasal membrane, leading to low bioavailability.
If you suspect you are developing a drug problem, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
The drug is usually acquired in tablet form - small white coloured caplets - though due to the extremely low weight of a dose, it has also been found on occasion blotted onto paper, in a similar way to LSD. The ease of taking a drug in pill form is one factor that leads to its high risk of abuse, yet many people choose to administer the drug in other ways.
Injection is extremely rare, due to the need to find clean hypodermic equipment and most people's aversion to hypodermics, but it has been observed to happen. Alprazolam is quite difficult to dissolve in water, meaning that a lot of preparations made for injection contain larger particles of the crushed up pills than would be acceptable for the arteries of the human body. This often leads to blockages and extreme damage of the arteries, which can in turn lead to heart failure. Thorough filtration of the preparation will usually prevent this, but it should be noted than an appropriate substrate is just as important - injecting a base of alcohol will usually lead to an overdose.
Insufflation, or snorting, is another method of administration, but it is still less successful than the pill form, as the low solubility of the drug means it doesn't easily cross the nasal membrane, leading to low bioavailability.
If you suspect you are developing a drug problem, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
