Article: New drugs that evade legal bans exploding

New drugs that evade legal bans are being developed at such a rate that they now outnumber illegal substances, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said Wednesday in Vienna.

Such "legal highs" mimic the effects of existing drugs like amphetamine, cannabis or khat but can be far more dangerous, as little is known about their side effects and their potential to cause addiction, the UNODC said in its annual report.
 
copacetic said:
Yet another side-effect of making drugs illegal.
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Exactly. Why are drugs even illegal? And this is NOT a sarcastic question. What is the point? The socalled war against drugs will never be won and billions are spent on this war yearly. Make it legal and make billions in taxes from it.
 
MightyQuin said:
Exactly. Why are drugs even illegal? And this is NOT a sarcastic question. What is the point? The socalled war against drugs will never be won and billions are spent on this war yearly. Make it legal and make billions in taxes from it.
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To destroy competition and keep the demand high.
 
Bern said:
That and maybe the effect they have on people maybe? I am not talking cannabis, but heroin etc is hardly a choice once you are addicted.
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People get addicted to legal drugs all the time.

They also die with alarming regularity from taking paracetamol.

So, no, I don't think it's the effect that is the real issue, although it is of course bandied about in the same meaningless manner the ANC waffles on about racism.

There's a reason that the harm reduction movement is in favour of legalization generally.

But yadda yadda yaddda.

It has all been said before.
 
copacetic said:
People get addicted to legal drugs all the time.

They also die with alarming regularity from taking paracetamol.

So, no, I don't think it's the effect that is the real issue, although it is of course bandied about in the same meaningless manner the ANC waffles on about racism.

There's a reason that the harm reduction movement is in favour of legalization generally.

But yadda yadda yaddda.

It has all been said before.
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Point is you have to really do some work to get addicted to paracetamol, heroine is one or two mistakes and you are stuffed. As in I can make you an addict very easily against your will - to me that makes it a candidate to be illegal.
 
Bern said:
Point is you have to really do some work to get addicted to paracetamol,
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You cannot get addicted to paracetamol, and never suggested as such. Miss the point a bit perhaps?

heroine is one or two mistakes and you are stuffed. As in I can make you an addict very easily against your will - to me that makes it a candidate to be illegal.
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I'm sure you then support making various pain meds illegal, various benzo based medications, as well as cigarettes and alcohol, which kill many more people than heroin does.

One of the main reasons people die from drugs like heroin is by being shunned and sidelined by society, with nowhere to go, and being forced to use dirty needles, etc.

Hence, the concept of harm reduction.

Main point being - Legal, or illegal, people will get their fix, and do their damage, regardless of the jabbering of the moral warriors and the politicians.

If anyone truly cares about the well being of their fellow man, they will look beyond this disingenuous, and ignorant 'it's dangerous, and should be outlawed, herp derp' nonsense.

Look a bit deeper, there is (as always) a lot more to it...
 
New drugs that evade legal bans are being developed at such a rate that they now outnumber illegal substances, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said Wednesday in Vienna.
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This is most excellent news.

heroin[-]e[/-] is one or two mistakes and you are stuffed
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Is this only if you take it while riding a pink unicorn?
 
I wonder if its like those american drugs that you can buy at a gas station?
I watched a documentary on it once. They come in little sachets that you just buy over the counter for a few bucks but mimic existing drugs. When the drug gets banned the change the formula a tiny amount and it then has to be researched again by law enforcement and have court orders etc, that all takes a few months to get done.
No sooner is the new one banned when they tweak the formula again and it all starts over.
Bath Salts was one of the imitations they had and Im pretty sure everyone heard about the crazy stuff that went on with people who took it.
 
Rocket-Boy said:
I wonder if its like those american drugs that you can buy at a gas station?
I watched a documentary on it once. They come in little sachets that you just buy over the counter for a few bucks but mimic existing drugs. When the drug gets banned the change the formula a tiny amount and it then has to be researched again by law enforcement and have court orders etc, that all takes a few months to get done.
No sooner is the new one banned when they tweak the formula again and it all starts over.
Bath Salts was one of the imitations they had and Im pretty sure everyone heard about the crazy stuff that went on with people who took it.
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Just seen that youtube clip of the bloke on Bath Salts. Never heard of the stuff till now. Crazy stuff :wtf:
 
copacetic said:
You cannot get addicted to paracetamol, and never suggested as such. Miss the point a bit perhaps?



I'm sure you then support making various pain meds illegal, various benzo based medications, as well as cigarettes and alcohol, which kill many more people than heroin does.

One of the main reasons people die from drugs like heroin is by being shunned and sidelined by society, with nowhere to go, and being forced to use dirty needles, etc.

Hence, the concept of harm reduction.

Main point being - Legal, or illegal, people will get their fix, and do their damage, regardless of the jabbering of the moral warriors and the politicians.

If anyone truly cares about the well being of their fellow man, they will look beyond this disingenuous, and ignorant 'it's dangerous, and should be outlawed, herp derp' nonsense.

Look a bit deeper, there is (as always) a lot more to it...
Click to expand...
rather than continue this I understand your point, but I don't agree that making hardcore addictive substances legal (as in no controls) will solve the problem. Changing the way addicts are dealt with, I can see a lot of value in that - i.e. programs to rehab, not jail. Clean needles are available at any pharmacy, so that is not the issue. Addicts need help, but I don't think opening the door to dealers to sell more is the way to go. Regulations need to help addicts, not shun them, but at the same time minimise the amount of these substances becoming available.

Cigarettes are a great example, since advertising has been limited and especially the ban on smoking in public spaces the number of smokers is dropping drastically. As an ex smoker I wish these had been in effect when I started smoking I probably wouldn't have started in the first place.
 
what is it that causes these drugs to explode ? Are they putting nitro in them ?

:D
 
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