Addiction to Meprobamate

Abstract

THE use of meprobamate§ has become widespread in a variety of disturbances of emotional origin. Physicians are under much demand for this drug from patients whose information is obtained largely from the lay press, radio and television. Hence, they are now faced with the situation in which huge quantities are consumed and yet the possible adverse effects are only beginning to be recognized.The search for such an agent was stimulated by reports of beneficial emotional effects from the muscle-relaxing drug mephenesin^{1 , 2 , 3} although controlled trials were not so promising.^{4 , 5} Berger's⁶ report of the pharmacologic properties of meprobamate led to its . . .