Antianxiety agents in crime.

The drugs classified as antianxiety agents are frequently prescribed for patients complaining of tension, muscle strain, sleep problems, panic attacks, and phobias. Among the drugs’ effects are drowsiness, impaired social or occupational functioning, slurred speech, rapid mood changes, and impaired judgment; these effects become more pronounced with increased dosage. Because of the negative impact on occupational functioning that abuse of antianxiety agents can produce, many employment settings have implemented urine testing of employees to screen for these drugs.