Temazepam

Temazepam (Restoril, Normison) is a benzodiazepine commonly prescribed for insomnia and other sleep disorders. Like other benzodiazepines, its habit-forming potential is high and it should not be taken for more than four weeks. more...

Until recently Temazepam was produced as a gel-filled capsule intended to be taken orally. However, it gained a certain notoriety in the United Kingdom, and especially Scotland, when it was discovered that if the capsules were melted and injected the effects were more potent and akin to alcohol. However, the liquid had a tendency to congeal in arteries and cause thrombosis and gangrene, in some cases requiring amputation.

The United States Air Force uses temazepam under trade name Restoril as "no-go pills" to help the pilots sleep after the mission. (Cf. the "go-pills", amphetamine served under the name Dexedrine as a stimulant for the pilots, or its recent modafinil replacement). Other drug used for the same purpose is zolpidem (Ambien).

More Common Side Effects

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Nausea
• Nervousness
• Sluggishness

Less Common Side Effects

• Abdominal discomfort
• Abnormal sweating
• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Backache
• Blurred vision
• Burning eyes
• Confusion
• Constant involuntary movement of the eyeball
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Difficult or labored breathing
• Dry mouth
• Exaggerated feeling of well-being
• Fluttery or throbbing heartbeat
• Hallucinations
• Hangover
• Increased dreaming
• Lack of coordination
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of equilibrium
• Loss of memory
• Nightmares
• Over-stimulation
• Restlessness
• Tremors
• Vertigo
• Vomiting
• Physical Weakness

Legalities

Temazepam is now a Class C drug in the UK and its possession illegal without a prescription. Additionally all UK manufacturers have discontinued the gel-capsules in favour of solid tablets. In the US, temazepam, like all benzodiazepines, is listed on Schedule IV and is only available by prescription. Certain states require specially coded prescriptions for this medication. Internationally, temazepam is a Schedule IV drug under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

Other Uses

From a recreational point of view, temazepam tablet dosages of roughly 20mg do little other than reduce anxiety. Some recreational users report a feeling for comfort and love. However, a higher dosage combined with alcohol quickly escalates to cause a worrying amount of memory loss (especially towards the latter part of the evening).

Trivia

The recreational effects of the drug were documented in the Black Grape album, It's Great When You're Straight... Yeah. The track 'Tramazi Parti' contains the lyric: I got my boots on the back of my head / It's full of jellies in the good old bed / And no one knows what no one said. Although there is no medical research confirming this behaviour, it is not inconsistent with the known side effects.

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