Methaqualone (Mandrax) abuse, urine testing, and identification: clinical correlation between a new mass urinalysis test and a military drug abuse program.

A urine test presently based on thin-layer chromatography screening and gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) confirmation has been a practical way of detecting methaqualone use in individuals. A more practical test is the radioimmuno assay for screening and GLC for confirmation. It appears that the drug methaqualone can be easily detected in the urine up to 72 hr after the last dosage. Individuals evaluated after being identified through the urine testing procedure readily admit to the use of illegal drugs and are most cooperative in giving drug abuse data, whether it is Mandrax, hashish, herion, or alcohol. The majority evaluated in this study were not in any program for drug abuse although all but one admitted to frequent drug abuse. The finding has been generally true of the other urinalysis test for drugs of abuse as the majority of the soldiers in the rehabilitation program have been identified by urinalysis over the past year. Because of the uncertainty of surveys on how prevalent was Mandrax use (anywhere from 5 to 90%, depending on who was consulted), a random selection of urines was done in September/November 1973. A total of 7,545 urine samples were tested those 2 months and the results were 2.9 and 3.9% positive respectively. Since that time and through June 1974 approximately 250 urine samples a week were tested for Mandrax based on a special request by the commander who suspected an individual of abusing Mandrax, and approximately 20 to 30% of the samples were positive. During June and July all randomly collected urines were tested and the results on a daily basis were from 1.5 to 3.5%. Since July 1974 no urines have been collected or tested. The follow-up indicates that of this number practically all are clinically confirmed as drug abusers and are entered into the Army's Drug Rehabilitation Program.