Phenobarbital is highly lethal in large amounts (as are all barbituates) and is a commonly used drug for suicides. Abbey Hoffman and Mariel Hemingway both died from phenobarbital overdoses. Barbs are also highly addictive. Because of it's high lethality and addictive properties, doctors are wary of prescribing it. Although pheno is considered one of the 'safer' barbs due to it's slow acting nature, very few doctors will readily prescribe any pure barbituates. To put it in the same class as Robitussin with Codeine or to think one could simply sign for it without a script is naive.Jazz