Acquaintance rape or date rape is described is defined by the U.S. Department of Justice as a sexual assault or rape committed by someone acquainted with or related to the victim. Out of half of the rapes reported, nearly 80 percent were date rape. In 1972, Quaaludes were the sixth-bestselling sedative in the USA, where it was legal under the brand name Quaalude. Taking Quaaludes and "luding out" (similar to an alcoholic blackout) soon became a popular college activity. Recreational use of the drug gained popularity in the 1970's and it was placed on the list of Schedule I drugs in the United States in 1984. Quaaludes recently re-entered public discussion since revelations that Bill Cosby allegedly raped women after providing them with the drug and had sex with them. Since the beginning phases of writing this article, Cosby has attained competent legal counsel to defend these charges. Cosby has maintained his innocence and there is dwindling evidence to support the charges against him.
What are Quaaludes?
Methaqualone, also called “Quaalude,” was first marketed in the United States in 1965 as a sedative. By 1972, methaqualone had become one of the most popular drugs used and abused in the United States. There are documented investigations of efforts to control this substance and even DEA reports of “success” in the 80’s, touting an 80 percent reduction in Methaqualone abuse. Obviously this is far from the case, and the drug is still being used/abused to this present day in high amounts. In fact, one of the largest Quaalude busts ever occurred in April of 2010 as thousands of pills from a laboratory in Brooklyn, NY. Approximately two kilos of finished powder, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, a large bag containing many unfilled pill capsules, a pill press machine, and firearms from Dennis Patrick Fairley's Manhattan residence.
Conspiring to distribute methaqualone carries a hefty penalty which includes a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and fine of the greater of $1,000,000 (or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the crime). Maybe what happens with Bill Cosby will bring a greater good to light in the end. Perhaps we will see vindication for Cosby, if indeed he was falsely accused. But moreover, we will hopefully gain more information-as the date rape drug problem is still an issue and victims of this terrible crime should be heard.
[Editor's Note: Filmmaker Roman Polanski has yet to face any meaningful punishment after having given a Quaalude and champagne to a 13 Year Old Girl. He Raped and Sodomized her; but has been allowed to continue living in luxury for well over three decades (after fleeing the country while on bail). Any and all artistic contributions from Bill Cosby have been removed from all TV/MOVIE Networks, and his Star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame was removed; but Polanski was awarded an Oscar for Best Director in 2002.]
Sources:
Bekiempis, V (2015). Do People Still Take Quaaludes? Newsweek. Retrieved from http://www.newsweek.com/do-people-still-take-quaaludes-357914
Kehner, G; Triggle, D.J. (2009). Date Rape Drugs - Drugs: the Straight Facts Series. Retrieved from https://goo.gl/qoVrGM
United States Department of Justice Website http://www.dea.gov
http://dailyapple.blogspot.com/2015/07/apple-714-quaaludes.html
http://www.salon.com/2009/09/28/polanski_arrest/
What are Quaaludes?
Methaqualone, also called “Quaalude,” was first marketed in the United States in 1965 as a sedative. By 1972, methaqualone had become one of the most popular drugs used and abused in the United States. There are documented investigations of efforts to control this substance and even DEA reports of “success” in the 80’s, touting an 80 percent reduction in Methaqualone abuse. Obviously this is far from the case, and the drug is still being used/abused to this present day in high amounts. In fact, one of the largest Quaalude busts ever occurred in April of 2010 as thousands of pills from a laboratory in Brooklyn, NY. Approximately two kilos of finished powder, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, a large bag containing many unfilled pill capsules, a pill press machine, and firearms from Dennis Patrick Fairley's Manhattan residence.
Conspiring to distribute methaqualone carries a hefty penalty which includes a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and fine of the greater of $1,000,000 (or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the crime). Maybe what happens with Bill Cosby will bring a greater good to light in the end. Perhaps we will see vindication for Cosby, if indeed he was falsely accused. But moreover, we will hopefully gain more information-as the date rape drug problem is still an issue and victims of this terrible crime should be heard.
[Editor's Note: Filmmaker Roman Polanski has yet to face any meaningful punishment after having given a Quaalude and champagne to a 13 Year Old Girl. He Raped and Sodomized her; but has been allowed to continue living in luxury for well over three decades (after fleeing the country while on bail). Any and all artistic contributions from Bill Cosby have been removed from all TV/MOVIE Networks, and his Star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame was removed; but Polanski was awarded an Oscar for Best Director in 2002.]
Sources:
Bekiempis, V (2015). Do People Still Take Quaaludes? Newsweek. Retrieved from http://www.newsweek.com/do-people-still-take-quaaludes-357914
Kehner, G; Triggle, D.J. (2009). Date Rape Drugs - Drugs: the Straight Facts Series. Retrieved from https://goo.gl/qoVrGM
United States Department of Justice Website http://www.dea.gov
http://dailyapple.blogspot.com/2015/07/apple-714-quaaludes.html
http://www.salon.com/2009/09/28/polanski_arrest/