Legal Highs
By Emma | Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:36 | 1 comments
Some nifty dealers like to stay ahead of the game, offering something a little bit new. Cocaine chic is so passé; today’s narcotic of choice is the Legal High.
Legal Highs are, as the name suggests, a way of experiencing drugs whilst sidestepping the law. In short, they are products that have been chemically engineered to mimic the effects of Class A substances, but remain structurally distinct enough to avoid the illegal classification.
The legal loophole relates to how legal highs are sold. Technically, it is illegal to advertise legal highs as ‘suitable for human consumption’. It is for this reason that many are sold as ‘plant food’, ‘research chemicals’, ‘bath crystals’, and ‘pond cleaner’.
Unfortunately, legal doesn’t necessary doesn’t mean safe. Many legal highs are just as dangerous as their illegal equivalents. Although the government is in the process of clamping down on the Legal High Trend, there are still hundreds of potentially dangerous chemicals available online.
Because they are largely untested, it’s hard to predict exactly how a specific product will make you feel. Generally speaking however, legal highs are classified as being uppers, downers, or hallucinogens.
Uppers
Uppers are stimulants which mimic the euphoric effects of amphetamines and ecstasy, giving you a big rush.
Street names:
Diablo, Sparkle E, Blu E, Green Beans
Downers
Downers are designed to help you relax and chill out. They are usually sold as sleeping aids.
Street names:
Spaced, Lounge-e, Entropy
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogenic legal highs are chemically designed to mimic the effects of psychedelic drugs such as LSD.
Street names:
Salvia, Blottercaps, Kratom, Druid’s Fantasy
Comments
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Article could use a bit of fact checking. The “street names” listed are for the most part brand names that people selling the chemicals have used. The chemicals are actually referred to by abbreviations of their chemical names. The plants listed are simply plant names, not street names. (Salvia and Kratom).
In the uppers section, it should say mimic the euphoric effects of amphetamine (not amphetamines), OR ecstasy. (MDMA is an amphetamine, but primarily serotonergic, amphetamine (what’s in some ADHD medications) is primarily dopaminergic. Serotonin being the brain chemical responsible for making people feel happy and safe, dopamine being the pleasure chemical that the brain uses for positive reinforcement of actions).
Downers section contradicts premise of the article by stating that they are sold as sleep aides. This would most certainly imply human consumption. Section could be elaborated on by referencing the class of anti anxiety medications known as benzodiazepines. Opioids could also be mentioned because they make a limited appearance in the legal high downer market. Kratom should be in this section not the Hallucinogens section. Dissociatives could also potentially be put into this category or the hallucinogens category, but would be better off listed on their own.
The Hallucinogens section has no major issues other than listing kratom. It could be improved by differentiating somewhat between Salvia and the others which I assume are some sort of psychedelic phenethyalmine.
On the whole the article is pretty good and will help educate some people. I hope that at least some of my comment will be considered. If this comment comes across as overly critical please know that my intention is to spread knowledge, not to take away from the good work you’ve already done.
Thanks,
Ann