While the barbiturates were found to be highly effective sleeping tablets, a significant problem was the very serious side-effect associated with their overdose – death.

This was found to be especially true if the pills were taken with alcohol.

Many famous people have died – some deliberately, some inadvertently – from an overdose of barbiturates. Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Jimmy Hendrix are a few.

The status of the barbiturates as drugs of abuse was further sensationalised in such popular books and films as The Valley of the Dolls.

Known also as ‘Pink Ladies’, ‘Yellow Bullets’, ‘Peanuts’ and ‘Dolls’, it was only a matter of time until the Barbiturates fell out of favour with the medical profession and newer, safer sleeping tablets (the benzodiazepines) became available.

Nembutal was withdrawn with little notice from the prescribing schedule in 1998, with Amytal following suit in 2003.

Today, the only barbiturate commonly prescribed by doctors is the slow-acting Phenobarbital.

Phenobarbital occupies a niche in medicine as an anti-convulsant, but it is a poor substitute to the specific barbiturate sleeping tablets in terms of providing a reliable, peaceful death.

 

Barbiturate Use in Veterinary Practice

The veterinary use of the barbiturates has persisted since the 1930s where they are used as anaesthesia during surgery and for animal euthanasia.

A large dose delivered intravenously, quickly and peacefully ends an animal’s life.

This green-dyed form of the drug is marketed as Lethabarb or Valabarb and is known as ‘the green dream’.

The pink-dyed form of the veterinary drug is marketed as Dolethal.