"ecstasy 'should Be Class B Drug'" Says Drug Advisor

[Flip-Mod]

your doing neuroscience? same. which course, im doing the MSc at the moment and if your interested in this kind of thing, there are fewer places in the country less specialist

[1a2bcio8]

I'm doing a BSc as a mature student.

Ultimately I want to go into philosophy and religion, but more specifically that includes the philosophy of science, so neuroscience seems like an interesting enough subject to get some scientific experience with. Maybe I'll end up prefering neuroscience though.

[Jaffacakes]

I dont see why they keep moving around the classes of drugs. Just decide!

Pills are pretty dirty really, when you see someone whose taken 5+ pills they look such a state, gurning their jaw, grinding their teeth and rushing. You can always tell if someones done pills, acid, MDMA, shrooms, speed, weed etc. Coke is the only drug that doesnt have any visible side effects, you just buzz and think your the man. I dont even know when the last time I droped pills was. Might have on new years, but if not a fair few months before then. They just make you invincible, you can pull bong after bong and not get stoned, drink as much as is humanly possible and not puke, you just love everyone and everything, and just want to dance and rave, and you can stay on it for days without sleep, or go to sleep on them. I wont take them regulary to go down to the pub, or to a house party. But I will take them if im going away to a few day festival or a good rave.

I say move them to class B. They do alot less damage than addictive class A drugs like chop or heroin. But if they move them to class B, they still do more damage over a short period of time, than weed.

[Caleb]

seems ive had a few varying results to some mentioned here, i have mixed outcomes on pills sometimes ive been really happy as expected but other times i get really wound up over little things, people standing on my feet in clubs etc, also dont think ive ever gurned in public and certainly never wanted to drink alcohol or do weed in the same night.

coke enalrges the pupils but suppose that aint much of a side affect.

im not to fussed about the classification change as it wont really affect me as im not a drug dealer. Im not sure i agree with the legalization of drugs totally as i think who ever wants them can get them easily enough anyway but certainly makes it harder to obtain than than it would if you could buy weed etc from a pharmacy which surely is a good thing for people who depend/think they depend on it.

[Elliot]

it was my understanding that MDMA was discovered in the early part of the 20th century by a German pharmaceutical company, then documented as a dietary aid in the mid 20th before becoming a tool for psychotherapy in the late 70's, recreational use in the early 80's before being banned not soon after in the mid 80's.

Rabbi Zalman Schachter: “When God saw that people, instead of turning to God, were turning to the medicine cabinet, God made himself available in the medicine cabinet.”

Another exert I love is this, which I think is also a wonderful insight into what a lot of us are doing in this very thread:

According to an organic chemistry professor who tried a “rhubarb and custard” with his girlfriend, it brings up the waves of euphoria associated with tai chi and other martial arts and practices of deep meditation. But unlike those lifelong practices, it has a “honeymoon period,” feeding on excitement and novelty. After a while, the brain assimilates the MDMA experiences of oneness with the universe, euphoria, and “overwhelming feelings of well-being,” and starts to get cranky. People start to compare their early, “perfect” trips with their later ones. However wonderful it felt, that feeling goes away, and you have to start the search for a new quick fix, a happier happy pill, or else you face a “crushing disappointment.” Yes, there are police breaking up the rave, and yes, there are ever tougher laws banning “spiritual” or mind-altering drugs. But the real end of the party comes from within.

Jaded anyone?

Edited February 14, 2009 by Elliot

[Pauly]

Well, that doesn't tend to be a problem with people, at least in terms of my experience. Usually the feeling of one or two is enough for most and cost doesn't play a role. However, I do know people that have taken between 20-30 pills on an evening but they were extreme cases. Most of the time they'd get away with it apart from this one chap who ended up requiring a cathater (spelling?). He was in a class of his own though. Taking lots tends to spoil the experience anyway. You end up in a mess on the floor somewhere, ironically looking like you forgot to take your medication, and you don't remember anything about it. Kind've like alcohol I guess.

i think as said before, you have to be stupid to take 20-30, having a basic understanding of the drug makes a big difference. i think most people are aware that if you drop 2 for example, to play it safe you dont want to be touching any more in the next 3 hours and ensuring you are having regular water , but not to much kinda thing.

unlicke alcohol there seems to be alot more control in knowing exactly what you are doing

i think that alot of the problem is whats out there, there are alot of pills that are not good and full of s**t and people dont know what they are taking, but if you do your reaserch and find out exactly what your taking and what effects the substances have on you, you can have alot more peace of mind and make sure you are not going to get ill.

[boon racoon]

Coke is the only drug that doesnt have any visible side effects

Coke is so f**king shit it makes me laugh. If only people knew. I've read figures from a police report from 2008 about drugs seizures.

Over 90% of coke siezed by Customs (i.e at border on import) is 90% pure or above..not very surprising. Yet 85% of all Coke siezed by Police comes in at a mere 20 - 40% pure. That's some decent quality Coke you're getting right there.

[TheCircus]

Just do double the amount you usually do then. That should RAMP IT UP.

[Tomm]

so psychopharmacologists are a little worried about effects of chronic abuse later in life. Every risky behavior is going to have a minority that take things to far, but in moderation, it is far less risky than proportionate /moderate amounts of other risky behaviors

I suppose that keeping it as a class A drug will maintain the status quo. I.e. Anyone who wants it can get it pretty easily, but it's still a bit underground so you're not exposed to it during the daytime for example. The world ticks over, everyone is happy (especially those on pills ).

By keeping the same as it has always been, you can probably avoid a change in the mentality of people. If ecstasy was legalised, then would people take it more often? During the day? Would people become dependent on ecstasy just to get them through the day? It's unlikely but I suppose it's a possibility. What are the effects of taking 10 pills every day for 20-30 years? I doubt anyone knows.

To choose an obvious example, people used to think smoking was a clever thing to do. But we now know that if you smoke every day for even a small amount of years, it gives you cancer and other nasty things. We don't know the effects of ecstasy, since it's only been around in popular culture for around 20 (?) years. Even then, most people take it at weekends only, and they probably 'grow out of it' as they get older and have more responsibilities.

We can't possibly know the risks, and the government has to make a decision based on the idea that it has a duty to keep the nation in good health. If you don't believe in that, vote for a different government

[Thurston]

It will never happen simple as

If it did, thats like sayin ecstasy is the same as puff

It isint, simple as

If "E" did go to a class b then there would be a holy uproar from all the cannabis/green people in the country and it would shift back to class A quicker than jack flash, so there is no way there gonna do it.

Thats my opinion and yes i have tried both and im an avade pot smoker, couldnt see the appeal to coke/pills. didnt do anything for me

[Trials Punk]

Class B. Why the hell not, it makes sense to me. Although I wouldn't be bothered taking it. I've already used and abused the most dangerous, widely used, most consumed drug ever. Alcohol.

Lets take the drugs related deaths chart, and add alcohol in there.

Cocaine 243

Ecstasy 58

Heroin 876

Amphetamines 97

Cannabis 12

Alcohol 8,724

As you can see by that, alcohol is most certanly acceptable. Dam, is that 8,724 people less for the government to screw over on taxes.

Of course, those figures does not take into account how many people in the UK use each drug. Obviously alcohol is going to have a high number of deaths accounted to it as there are alot of people in the UK that drink, and also quite a few people who smoke Cannabis too. For example is as many people did Heroin as they did Alcohol you could imagine the death figure on that, it would be huge.

Point I'm trying to put over here, without looking at usage figures is how alcohol is (by a huge margin) a bigger killer than any other drug (in that chart).

I used to be very scheptic on drugs, but lately I've opened my mind slightly and found the reason that I hated the idea of drugs so much was because its always been pumped into my head that they are bad. Whilst alcohol and tobbaco is fine in moderation.

Now I know that alot of drugs are fine in moderation, not that I'm going to go on a huge sampling mission or anything.

Not going to write any more than that really, as I think Ben has more or less said it for me.

[Thurston]

Class B. Why the hell not, it makes sense to me. Although I wouldn't be bothered taking it. I've already used and abused the most dangerous, widely used, most consumed drug ever. Alcohol.

Lets take the drugs related deaths chart, and add alcohol in there.

Cocaine 243

Ecstasy 58

Heroin 876

Amphetamines 97

Cannabis 12

Alcohol 8,724

As you can see by that, alcohol is most certanly acceptable. Dam, is that 8,724 people less for the government to screw over on taxes.

Of course, those figures does not take into account how many people in the UK use each drug. Obviously alcohol is going to have a high number of deaths accounted to it as there are alot of people in the UK that drink, and also quite a few people who smoke Cannabis too. For example is as many people did Heroin as they did Alcohol you could imagine the death figure on that, it would be huge.

Point I'm trying to put over here, without looking at usage figures is how alcohol is (by a huge margin) a bigger killer than any other drug (in that chart).

I used to be very scheptic on drugs, but lately I've opened my mind slightly and found the reason that I hated the idea of drugs so much was because its always been pumped into my head that they are bad. Whilst alcohol and tobbaco is fine in moderation.

Now I know that alot of drugs are fine in moderation, not that I'm going to go on a huge sampling mission or anything.

Not going to write any more than that really, as I think Ben has more or less said it for me.

You have hit it on the head, if alcohol is legal and also the most potent killer in the UK then why isint cannabis showing a 12 or soo a year death rate even though as far as im aware there have never been any in hosptial death dues to cannabis but thousands for drink.

I f**kIN HATE UK GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!

[Jaffacakes]

Weed doesn't kill you, it just makes you schitsophrinic. To tell the truth I think it should stay illigal, and be brought back to class C

[Trials Punk]

You have hit it on the head, if alcohol is legal and also the most potent killer in the UK then why isint cannabis showing a 12 or soo a year death rate even though as far as im aware there have never been any in hosptial death dues to cannabis but thousands for drink.

I f**kIN HATE UK GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!

The problem is, that people are fed dribble their whole lives. They see it on TV, they hear it down the pub. If you manage to have an interlectual conversation with one of these people, and strip all the facts and figures down, expose the truth, tell them your experiances they don't have an answer. As its not usually their opinion, just an opinion thats been drilled into their heads so much they belive it true. Although they will happliy drink 7 pints friday and saturday night and not bat an eyelid.

Anyway, back on track.

Extasy shouldn't be in the same leage as Heroin, no way. At the end of the day, we don't know the long term effects. Compared to the long term effects of alcohol on regular drinkers, I can't imagine it being much worse.

[Thurston]

Weed doesn't kill you, it just makes you schitsophrinic. To tell the truth I think it should stay illigal, and be brought back to class C

Its a case of what your brain can handle, i smoke weed and it hasnt changed me but i know a few younger people that its changed and some people my age due to them not being able to handle it.

If it was brought back to class c i would be happy but i think if they made it legal they would stop drug trafficing of cannabis because everbody that smoked it would grow for themselves and stop pumping money into drug crime related to dealers due to weed.

[Trials Punk]

Its a case of what your brain can handle, i smoke weed and it hasnt changed me but i know a few younger people that its changed and some people my age due to them not being able to handle it.

If it was brought back to class c i would be happy but i think if they made it legal they would stop drug trafficing of cannabis because everbody that smoked it would grow for themselves and stop pumping money into drug crime related to dealers due to weed.

Cannabis is usually fine in moderation. If you start taking it when your too young, it may have a negative effect on you. Much the same as alcohol.

[Thurston]

Cannabis is usually fine in moderation. If you start taking it when your too young, it may have a negative effect on you. Much the same as alcohol.

I completely agree with that due to what ive seen in certain younger smokers but thats what the government are hoping for, so people see whatt it does to young minds nd make it completely in-accesable same with everything that brings a bit of joy to many people lives that it hasnt and wont f**k up there lives.

Alchohol is by far the biggest known killer and its LEGAL unlike cannabis which is illegal right now and doesnt cause a 3rd of the damage alcohol does to people lives

[Jaffacakes]

Its a case of what your brain can handle, i smoke weed and it hasnt changed me but i know a few younger people that its changed and some people my age due to them not being able to handle it.

If it was brought back to class c i would be happy but i think if they made it legal they would stop drug trafficing of cannabis because everbody that smoked it would grow for themselves and stop pumping money into drug crime related to dealers due to weed.

I have for years and I havnt been affected. 99% the people I know havn't. A few have though, one used to be a f**king legend in school, now you cant even have a conversation with him, hes just so paranoid he thinks your always taking the piss out of him, it make me feel depressed speaking to him. He never comes out anymore, no one ever see's him. I guess it depends on your personality as to how it effects you.

If it was made legal there would be horrendous taxes on it, like there is in Amsterdam. There would still be drug traffaking, and I bet it would still be Illigal to grow it, because you wouldnt be paying tax on it...

[Thurston]

I have for years and I havnt been affected. 99% the people I know havn't. A few have though, one used to be a f**king legend in school, now you cant even have a conversation with him, hes just so paranoid he thinks your always taking the piss out of him, it make me feel depressed speaking to him. He never comes out anymore, no one ever see's him. I guess it depends on your personality as to how it effects you.

If it was made legal there would be horrendous taxes on it, like there is in Amsterdam. There would still be drug traffaking, and I bet it would still be Illigal to grow it, because you wouldnt be paying tax on it...

Technially it would be illegal to grow i suppose but i bet you most pot smokers like me and you would just because we would get a clean fresh smoke for a start and we could argue if we got caught that at least we wernt payin money into drug dealers hands cause cannabis would be legal to smoke so growing it yourself would look so bad.

Either way its a hopless possibilty and we must trek on with findin ways to get good smoke for little money, not gonna happen though so growing is the cheapest possibilty although there are alot of risks.

[Has anyone seen my shoe?]

All those of you questioning why Alcohol is legal. Think about it, if alcohol was invented now, it would be banned. Same with cigarettes. The difference is that Alcohol and Cigarettes are nice money earners on tax. Simple as

[Trials Punk]

I completely agree with that due to what ive seen in certain younger smokers but thats what the government are hoping for, so people see whatt it does to young minds nd make it completely in-accesable same with everything that brings a bit of joy to many people lives that it hasnt and wont f**k up there lives.

Alchohol is by far the biggest known killer and its LEGAL unlike cannabis which is illegal right now and doesnt cause a 3rd of the damage alcohol does to people lives

I doubt the gorvnment are hoping for that, I also doubt legalising it will have any impact at what age they will start, only education can do that really. Personally I don't think anyone should be smoking or drinking before 16, not in excess anyway. Theres so much more to do before you start getting wasted.

[Papa Manual]

All those of you questioning why Alcohol is legal. Think about it, if alcohol was invented now, it would be banned. Same with cigarettes. The difference is that Alcohol and Cigarettes are nice money earners on tax. Simple as

Weed has been growing (and has been smoked) for many years before people started drinking booze. It only became illegal in the UK in 1928. That was during the 1925 Convention on Narcotics Control and at the suggestion of Egypt and Turkey as it caused "30 - 60% of the insanity" in Egypt. Obviously, after prohibition the insane-o-meter was given respite.

[Max Quinn]

Its a case of what your brain can handle, i smoke weed and it hasnt changed me but i know a few younger people that its changed and some people my age due to them not being able to handle it.

If it was brought back to class c i would be happy but i think if they made it legal they would stop drug trafficing of cannabis because everbody that smoked it would grow for themselves and stop pumping money into drug crime related to dealers due to weed.

Mate, your 18, it hasn't effected you yet but don't think just cos youve been blazing for 6 years or whatever your now immune to it and it can't f**k you up in the future. I'm 18 too, and i'm not saying this puts me off a nice joint, just don't think your some hardcore smoker who's above being effected now.

The thing is, why are weed smokers so bothered about it being legal or not? At the end of the day, we all still have regular dealers and the legal consequences aren't really enough to stop anyone smoking it pretty much whenever they want, so who cares?

Pills i think is a bit different due to the shit they're often laced with which being legal would cut down on. But still, if you have a good, regular dealer i can't imagine this is a problem (i wouldn't know too well as i don't drop but from experience being around pills and dealers etc), and at the kind of place you want to do pills anyway, do you ever have problems with the law?

[Fish-Finger-er]

Pills i think is a bit different due to the shit they're often laced with which being legal would cut down on. But still, if you have a good, regular dealer i can't imagine this is a problem (i wouldn't know too well as i don't drop but from experience being around pills and dealers etc), and at the kind of place you want to do pills anyway, do you ever have problems with the law?

It depends how your buying and who your buying off really.. if your 3 for a tenner or the like, of the same bloke, he probably has the same pills for months on end. but if you and your mates are going in and getting 100 for £70, or 500 for £250. we had a guy who used to sell to at those prices, but hed think nothing of pushing out 6 figure batches of pills a week, so youd very rarely get the same pills of him more than twice in a row (bearing in mind even split 10 ways, 500 pills is likely to last you a couple of weeks,unless its a very very very heavy 4/5 day bender).

As for where you do them, and there being problems with the law, not really... but police are starting to create "rings" around bus stops, train stations, on the main clubbing streets etc. where everyone has to pass a sniffer dog, if the sniffer dog detects anything, you then go stick your hands in a scanner, and a thorough pat down search occurs. can see at that point, if its on your high street every week, your going to stop doing pills for fear of being put on the same level as your local crackheads and smack addicts. but if it was say a class C, youd be more tempted to sock it, or stick it in your boxers, till you got caught and a friendly caution the 1st time.

[Joe_Elding]

Weed doesn't kill you, it just makes you schitsophrinic. To tell the truth I think it should stay illigal, and be brought back to class C

Which in turn leads to a f**k load of suicides.

It will never happen simple as

If it did, thats like sayin ecstasy is the same as puff

It isint, simple as

If "E" did go to a class b then there would be a holy uproar from all the cannabis/green people in the country and it would shift back to class A quicker than jack flash, so there is no way there gonna do it.

Thats my opinion and yes i have tried both and im an avade pot smoker, couldnt see the appeal to coke/pills. didnt do anything for me

I think ecstacy is actually a damn sight better than weed. MDMA is a party drug, there wouldnt really be much point doing it unless you were going out or whatever, whereas dro you can smoke, whenever, wherever, whatever the reason. I'm gonna stick my hands up and say i have been heavily affected by cannabis/drugs in general. I'm always paranoid,and have developed massive OCD, have lost all my self confidence and just literally do not know what to say to anyone anymore unless its about drugs, i know a few people who have killed them selves after becoming mentally ill through too much cannabis, a load more who have tried to kill themselves or who have just gotten mentally ill, and have heard about a f**k load more.

to put things into perspective, at the moment im waking up, smoking a fat Lplate to get myself out of bed, going to college, coming home, bunning two zoots for lunch, going back to college, coming home, bnunning a zoot to send me to bed. whereas i take MDMA probably once/maybe twice a week.