What is it?
Barbiturates are prescription sedatives. Barbiturates that are commonly abused include amobarbital (Amytal), pentobarbital (Nembutal), and secobarbital (Seconal).

What does it look like?
Barbiturates come in multi-colored tablets and capsules.

What are the street names/slang terms for it?
Barbs, red devils, goof balls, yellow jackets, block busters, pinks, reds and blues, Christmas trees.

How is it used?
These sedatives are used most often to treat unpleasant effects of illicit stimulants, to reduce anxiety, and to get "high". Short-acting barbiturates such as pentobarbital and secobarbital are the preferred drugs of abuse. They are swallowed or injected. Commonly called "sleeping pills" or "downers" and often used on the street in combination with stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamines, and crystal meth/crank.

What are its short-term effects?
Short-term effects include slurred speech, shallow breathing, sluggishness, fatigue, and disorientation, lack of coordination, dilated pupils. Barbiturates mimic alcohol inebriation causing mild euphoria, disinhibition, and relief of anxiety and sleepiness. Higher doses cause impairment of memory, judgment and coordination, irritability, paranoid and suicidal ideation.

What are its long-term effects?
Tolerance develops quickly and larger doses are used, increasing the danger of an overdose. In an overdose or when taken with other drugs like alcohol, death is due to depression of the respiratory center in the brain. Withdrawal symptoms: Include tremors, elevated blood pressure and pulse, sweating, and possible seizures.