Government stamp of approval for fake weed
Whaaat? It actually works?
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The government's drug advisory board is calling for action on "legal highs" containing synthetic cannabinoids.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommended a ban in a report it has just sent to the Home Office, called "Consideration of the major cannabinoid agonists". It focussed on the brand 'Spice' - which has already been banned in France, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.
The mixture, sold as a smoking blend, is a mixture of herbs which are sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids. The mixture also contains large amounts of Vitamin E, possibly to make detection of the additives more difficult. Reports as to its effectiveness vary widely - drugs information site Erowid has users reporting: "This drug is legal for a reason. It's basically cannabis, minus the fun." while others claimed unpleasant paranoia.
Because of the likelihood that other cannabinoids could be used in place of any which were banned, the ACMD calls for a generic ban to control such substances. Manufacturers could easily move more quickly than legislation seeking to ban the specific ingredients of such mixtures. But they do name five substances which should be specifically controlled.
The ACMD recommends that these mixtures be classified and controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act because they have potential harms commensurate with cannabis. The ACMD makes four recommendations - the fourth of which: "has been withheld on the ground that its publication would not be in the public interest."
The Home Office has yet to respond to the report but told us: "We are determined to crack down on those so called 'legal highs' that pose a significant health risk.
"We will publish our response shortly, along with the proposed controls for a range of other substances, including GBL."
Let's not forget that Jacqui Smith ignored ACMD advice on actual, real cannabis in 2008 and also promised action on stopping the sale of cannabis related items like pipes, bongs and other paraphernalia. Which, should it ever happen, won't leave much but tie-dyed T-shirts and incense for head shops to sell.
Spice is available in several varieties and costs £20 for 3 grams, about the same as an eighth of real weed in the UK... apparently.
The report summary is available here. ®
COMMENTS
@ Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”
Wow, might have to check that out - also: Franz Kafka - The Trial, totally worth reading
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial
PPP (Proud Privacy Pirate).
People want weed
No one would smoke spice if they could just get weed instead. When I went to Japan they don't have much in terms of drugs there. In tokyo I think 2g of weed was going for £80. So I know people there who instead just went out and bought spice for £40 for 3g. I tried it yeah, but its not weed and no it doesn't really feel anything like weed. I think its just a cheap immitation thats full of chemicals we know nothing about, or how they will effect us. Imagine hyper ventilating for 10 minutes and thats probably how you'd feel on spice.
If you look at the places where legal highs are most popular its always in places where real drugs are highly restricted. People want to get high! they don't care if its spice or the next thing that comes along. Open your eyes and legalise something otherwise this will go on forever. Oh and I bet that 4th option was legalisation.
Recognise them for what they are...
The point is being missed here… Anything a government does is not based on logic; it is based on the idea that people should be controlled. Of course government nominates its own staff as controllers… “The control freaks”, you all know this type of person, they seek office as milk monitors at junior school, then they go on to be prefects. When they leave school they become politicians or policemen etc.
What is the best way to control people? That’s easy; make innocuous activities that any average person might partake in, a crime. Speeding (in a car!), smoking pot, aimlessly hanging around (or loitering), encrypting perfectly innocent data (for reasons of confidentiality) etc. etc..
I was reading an article in the Reg yesterday where somebody quoted Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”, which sums it all up…
“There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted - and you create a nation of law-breakers - and then you cash in on guilt. Now, that's the system, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with."
Here’s the thing though, these government types are living under a misapprehension, they assume that we all recognise their legitimacy; in the same way that most governments don’t recognise the legitimacy of Northern Cyprus or North Korea, perhaps we should stop recognising our government.
Now, more interestingly, where the f*ck did Mandy get £750,000 to pay off his mortgage?
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