Why are illicit drugs illegal?
@fullretard,I can't say that I'm surprised by the fact that you are living up to your screen name. And it's a good one,because it describes you to a T. I don't recall ever writing anything that either directly,or indirectly,stated that I believe that illicit drugs should be legalized. Seeing as how alcohol and tobacco has contributed to countless deaths over the years. I asked this question to figure why it's perfectly okay to sell/use either of them,if not both. If safety and good health is a concern,it makes very little sense to criminalize other drugs if the government has allowed people to use either substance,knowing damn well that they're both dangerous to our health.
In recent years, the penalty for selling illegal drugs has been increased sharply. How does that affect the in
One of the best examples is the Rockefeller Drug Laws in NY, passed in the early 1970s. They increased the penalties hugely. Years later, research showed that they had no effect on drug use and sales but violence went up dramatically because drug sellers reasoned -- quite correctly -- that if they were being busted for drugs then they had nothing to lose by becoming violent. For an excellent history of the subject, including a good before-and-after look at what increased penalties produce, you should read the Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs at http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/...
When researchers are doing experiments with illicit drugs, where/how do they acquire their materials?
They use the NIDA Drug Supply Program.
Should I use illegal drugs with friends?
If you are planning on following through with this, please be as informed and cautious as possible.For instance, research the drug you plan on using. Find out if it interacts with any medications you may be on. Think about you history of any mental illnesses or backgrohnd in your family of drug abuse or addiction. Have someone with you who is coherent and able to make a call to emergency services if needed. Harm reduction is not taught in school drug programs for the most part (depending where you're from). This is paramount in deciding whether or not you should go through with using any drug, illicit or not.Be safe, be smart and do not allow yourself to make excuses to use whatever drug you're thinking of taking more often. If you feel like it is getting out of control, find someone you can talk to who you trust and let them know you may have a problem.I won't tell you not to use an illicit drug but I urge you to be as safe and responsible as possible.
Do drug makers slightly modify the structures of existing illegal drugs to make the altered compound technically different (and therefore legal) to circumvent the law?
Yes, it’s very common. This has actually been a major problem because the altered drugs often have higher toxicity or more dangerous side effects than the original versions. Remember the bath salts craze a few years back? These were synthetic drugs of the cathinone class which were designed to mimic illegal drugs. They are closely related to amphetamines but turned out to cause more harm. I have seen the harm caused by designer versions of stimulants, opioids, benzodiazepines, and even LSD substitutes. As they continue to ban the new drugs, the designers will keep coming out with more dangerous versions. Banning the drugs is achieving the opposite of harm reduction.
What is the study of illegal drugs called?
Pharmacology is the study of drugs. But before you can become a pharmacologist, you'll probably need to start with chemistry & biochem as prerequisites to any pharmacological course of study. You may also need to do some pre-med. Some additional fields of study: Psychopharmacology, the study of how drugs affect the mind Toxicology, the study of the harmful effects of drugs Your best bet at finding a job in this field (specific to controlled substances) is with the Department of Justice's DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency). They are responsible for enforcement of the Controlled Substance Act, which is the law that defines the schedule of controlled substances (illegal or prescription-only drugs). You might also find a job with the FDA, although that agency is mainly concerned with overseeing the production and sale of drugs that have legitimate medicinal purposes. As a last resort, try the FBI. They may need pharmacology experts to analyze drugs that have been seized in raids and as expert witnesses to testify in court.
If I add "I am not conspiring to purchase any illegal substances, but" when asking where illegal substances can be obtained, is that illegal?
It is not illegal to ask where you can buy illegal drugs. This is not considered solicitation, because there is no intent to participate in the sale and/or purchase of illegal drugs. For example, you could be doing research on where illegal drugs are sold in a particular city.It may be illegal to walk up to a drug dealer and tell him you want to buy drugs. "Solicitation" of a crime involves verbal indication that you want to commit a crime and intent to participate in the commission of that crime. You don't actually have to buy the drugs in order to be convicted of the crime of solicitation.It is definitely illegal to actually hand over the money in exchange for drugs.