Xanax Information is easy to obtain since the drug is readily available. Xanax is manufactured by Pharmacia/UpJohn and is also distributed under the generic name of Alprazolam. Xanax contains alprazolam which is a triazolo analog of the 1.4 benzodiazepine class of central nervous system active compounds. Xanax is made from a crystalline powder, which is soluble in methanol or ethanol but which has no appreciable solubility in water. The Xanax powder is compressed into tablet form. Xanax comes in four strengths: 0.25-mg, 0.5-mg, 1.0-mg, and 2.0-mg. The most popular are the 1-mg lavender-colored tablets referred to as "footballs" or "blues" which sell for around $2 and the 2-mg white rectangular-shaped pills (nicknamed "bars," "coffins" or "french fries") which go for $5 to $10 per pill.

"Xanax is extremely potent" says Dr. Steven Juergens of Virginia Mason University, who was the first to write about Xanax addiction in 1988. "It acts quickly on the brain, and has a short half life." Xanax is not picked up by normal urinalysis (drug test). This creates a difficult circumstance for out patient recovery from Xanax addiction.

The 1990 to 1998 National Institute of Drug Abuse statistics show that the number of Americans who began to misuse sedatives nearly doubled, while abuse of pain relievers rose 180% during this time period. Xanax has found its way from pharmacies to drug dealers, and is being abused by young, healthy people across the nation who want to get high.

The tranquilizer, Xanax, which was introduced in 1973 can become psychologically and physically addictive if taken in high doses for longer than eight weeks.