Urgent warning

[geetee]

The problem with these legal highs is that they do not even come from a reputable source at the moment and with their banning this may drive them underground even further. There was an expert on TV the other day saying that you do not need any extensive chemical knowledge to create these things so any Tom, Dick Or Harry can have a go.
I have a Chemistry degree and if I was to do this I would at least research,understand the process and try to create a pure substance (not planning to by the way!) but I am sure others would be less scrupulous in their search for purity and maximum profits which can only increase teh risk to end users..

 

[BeerCat]

Once again the gov is making out they care but they don't. Prohibition has never worked and never will. It will only increase the problems. I read that usage of this **** actually increased in Ireland when banned.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

There has been enough coverage of how bad these legal highs are yet people still take them, a ban will change nothing other than make it slightly harder for these idiots to get hold of them.


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[brumbrew]

In my eyes, better regulation is the key. Only allowing the import of these goods from verified and checked supplies. Or made here in the UK. You will never stop people from trying or using drugs.

Some research, quite easily turns up info that many of these precursors were patented by the likes of GlaxoSmithKline and Phizer, probably synthesized many many years ago for 'research' or in view of weapon'izing these chemicals.

As is said, when one 'group' is banned, the home chemist figures a way to remove, add or otherwise change the molecular formula making it a 'new' drug.

If a standard or vetted manufacturers could be assured then it's no more dangerous than beer, ciggarettes and bad tv.

Many moons ago, a friend of mine used to dabble in what's know as 'research chemicals' all the types of things that existed before mkat, mephadrone to name a few.

Some totally safe, others not so much. That's what the government are trying to avoid.

Our citizens and doctors taking part in the reasearch and testing of these unknown substances.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have just been listening to 5 live and they were discussing this subject, someone asked why its OK to have caffeine, nicotine and alcohol yet its not to have legal highs, one also said if they had legalised cannabis years ago a lot of this could have been avoided, it would also have put a huge dent in the profits of the drug dealers.



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[brumbrew]

I read an article a while back on vice.com about how I think it was Portugal that legalized the possession of all drugs.

The crime associated with it and even AIDS/HIV has fallen dramatically.

You essentially turn drug dealers into business men, and users into customers.

With some kind of support structure for those wanting to kick the habbit, all seems well for them though.

 

[murphysmum]

Confused here - never tried them, never will but if they were legal why weren't they tested for safety before going on the market? The government make sure food stuffs, drinks, over the counter pain killers etc are tested, so why not legal highs? Banning them will surely only create a black market for them the same as illegal drugs?