Which depressant drug is the most dangerous? Pegging any drug with the label most dangerous is difficult because the phrase “the most dangerous drug” can be defined in a number of ways, which may be defined as follows:
- Relative risk of death by overdose
- Risk of side effects
- Risk of withdrawal symptoms
- Relative risk of addiction
What are Depressants?
Depressant drugs are those that slow down systems in the brain and central nervous system. Depressants are not necessarily chemically related, although some are. For example, alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and opioids are all examples of depressants, yet all have very different chemical structures.
If defining depressant drugs by the risk of overdose death, barbiturates would be by far and away the most dangerous. This synthetic drug family was first discovered in about the mid-1800s and was once widely available without a prescription in patent medicines.
These could be purchased in both general stores and through the mail. What are identified as many controlled substances today were not regulated at all until about 1914, when the Harrison Narcotic Act limited opioid use to that obtained through a doctor’s prescription only. Heroin was banned altogether in the United States in 1924 and remains illegal here to this day.
Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines
Barbiturates do have medical value and are still currently used but only rarely. Barbiturates were largely replaced by the far safer benzodiazepines in about the early 1960s with Roche’s introduction of diazepam or Valium, the first true benzodiazepine.
As a group, benzodiazepines rarely cause deaths by overdose when used alone. Benzodiazepine overdose death almost always includes the presence of other depressant drugs, such as alcohol or opioids.
Benzodiazepines are just as effective for sedation and sleep in most cases as barbiturates are but don’t carry either the overdose or addiction risk that barbiturates do. Once called downers or black beauties, these drugs were responsible for many overdose deaths prior to about the 1970s to 1980s. Their therapeutic index is very narrow, meaning that the dose needed to produce the desired effect isn’t that much lower than the potentially fatal dose.
Other Dangerous Hypnotics
There is another group of very dangerous hypnotics. This includes glutethimide or Doriden, ethchlorvynol or Placidyl, and methaqualone or Quaalude. These mimic the effects of barbiturates and are just as addictive. They also carry a similar fatal overdose risk. However, all of these have been banned in the United States.
Unlike opioids and benzodiazepines, there is no specific antidote for barbiturate overdose. Medical professionals can provide only supportive care. If this fails, the patient will likely die, especially if the time period for effective stomach lavage (pumping) has already passed.
Barbiturates for Seizures
The barbiturate phenobarbital does have important uses to help manage certain types of seizures, but phenobarbital is a weak barbiturate with far less danger of overdose compared to the more powerful ones like secobarbital (Seconal).
Rohypnol
The benzodiazepine flunitrazepam or Rohypnol is another extremely dangerous depressant. Illegal in the United States and also known by the slang moniker roofies, this benzo is known as the date rape drug. Odorless, colorless and tasteless, the drug can be slipped into a drink without anyone knowing.
The victim becomes helpless to resist any sexual attack and will follow orders without question. Worse, the drug causes retrograde amnesia, meaning the victim cannot recall any details about their attacker and so cannot assist law enforcement.
Flunitrazepam is available on the black market and is definitely the most dangerous depressant of benzodiazepines.
Presenting the Most Dangerous Depressant
The winner of this dubious award is alcohol. This is the most commonly abused drug in our society. It’s toxic to the brain and body if more than two standard drinks for men and one for women are consumed per day.
Addiction risk is high, even though alcohol can be legally purchased by anyone age 21 and over.
Illegal underage drinking is prevalent and poses special addiction risks for that age group.
Alcohol impairs judgment, depth perception and motor reflexes. Intoxicated drivers cause property damage, injury, and death on our highways daily while driving under the influence of alcohol. This means that even nondrinkers may be affected by alcohol.
The side effects of alcohol include brain and heart damage. The liver can be permanently injured by alcohol-induced cirrhosis, which causes healthy liver tissue to be replaced by fatty deposits.
We Can Help
Alcohol withdrawal is potentially life-threatening and should never be attempted without medical supervision. If you’re concerned about alcohol use or addiction, we can help with detox and treatment referrals right near you. We’re here to serve you 24 hours a day at 855-334-6120, and we look forward to your call..
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