Assessment of dezocine for morphine-like subjective effects and miosis.

Dezocine is an analgesic soon to be marketed in the United States. In this study we examined the abuse potential of dezocine. Subjective and miotic effects of single subcutaneous doses of dezocine, morphine, and placebo were assessed under double-blind conditions in 10 adult male nondependent drug abusers. Dezocine and morphine were equipotent in inducing a constellation of effects typical of opioid agonists, including miosis and increases in opioid signs and symptoms, liking, and euphoria. Both drugs were consistently identified by subjects as being "dope" (opiates). Thus the profile of effects of single doses of dezocine indicate that the drug has the potential to be abused. However, the agonist-antagonist activities of dezocine demonstrated by others suggest that its abuse potential is less than that of morphine.