McCain's Ambien Use: a Security Threat?

And as long as he is cautious in his timing, McCain may have little problem with the side effects of Ambien — a widely used drug which accounted for more than 45 million prescriptions in the United States in 2005.

"The key is to use Ambien-like sleeping medications in moderation and don't mix them with other sedative drugs or alcohol," Fotinakes said. "Most importantly, avoid use in the event you have to consider escalation from Defcon 4 to Defcon 3."