Trigger warning: Drugs

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Also:

OMG!!! 

[AFK]

There really is a certain kind of drug user that is interested in these synthetics, and it isn't your social baker or your casual weed user.  It's usually a more hard core drug user, so legalization really won't have much of an impact.

Actually, perhaps on second thought you are absolutely right. Only hard core drug users are interested in these kinds of drugs, not your casual user or social baker. So it really won't make much of a difference whether they're legal or not, because making them illegal won't deter hardcore users anyway, as we have seen with other drugs, and the casual users aren't buying them anyway.

No, it does make a difference.  We were having significant issues with 'bath salts' here in Maine.  After it was banned in the state and federally, and police were able to clean the shit out of head shops and truck stops, the issue declined pretty significantly.  So it does have an effect. 

But the legal status of marijuana will have little to no bearing on spice, K2, etc. because your average pot user isn't seeking that out.  And the synhetic cannibinoids have had some significant press so it would be near impossible for someone who uses drugs to not be aware of what it is.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

But the legal status of marijuana will have little to no bearing on spice, K2, etc. because your average pot user isn't seeking that out.  And the synhetic cannibinoids have had some significant press so it would be near impossible for someone who uses drugs to not be aware of what it is.

Buncha crap.  Right now, they're seeking out what they can get.  K2 was just recently made illegal here, and until it was, it was billed as "synthetic weed".  They were billing it as weed because weed is what people wanted to smoke.

[AFK]

Because real marijuana is hard to get right now?

[AFK]

So in other words the legal status of marijuana is making it less available, correct?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Because real marijuana is hard to get right now?

Because it was billed as "Synthetic Weed" while it was legal.

What part is giving you the trouble?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

So in other words the legal status of marijuana is making it less available, correct?

And making the far more dangerous synthetics more available.

WELL DONE, SIR PROHIBITIONIST!  YOU SAVED THOSE KIDS FROM DEMON MERRYWANNA.

And all that happened was they turned into cannibals.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

Because people get piss tested at work, at probation, etc.
Because prohibition.
DUH.

[AFK]

So therefore, when marijuana becomes legal, access and availability is going to increase, yes?

[AFK]

I'm glad we finally came to agreement on that idea. 

Carry on with your drug thread.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

So therefore, when marijuana becomes legal, access and availability is going to increase, yes?

Who the FUCK ever said those two things wouldn't increase?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I'm glad we finally came to agreement on that idea. 

Carry on with your drug thread.

YAY!  You proved a point nobody was arguing, and all you had to do was admit that your policies create cannibal zombies!

This is AWESOME!  It's like I fell through a fucking wormhole!

[AFK]

The kind of person who uses synthetics and becomes a "cannibal zombie" is a person who isn't sitting around waiting for legalization to get their fix. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

There really is a certain kind of drug user that is interested in these synthetics, and it isn't your social baker or your casual weed user.  It's usually a more hard core drug user, so legalization really won't have much of an impact.

Actually, perhaps on second thought you are absolutely right. Only hard core drug users are interested in these kinds of drugs, not your casual user or social baker. So it really won't make much of a difference whether they're legal or not, because making them illegal won't deter hardcore users anyway, as we have seen with other drugs, and the casual users aren't buying them anyway.

No, it does make a difference.  We were having significant issues with 'bath salts' here in Maine.  After it was banned in the state and federally, and police were able to clean the shit out of head shops and truck stops, the issue declined pretty significantly.  So it does have an effect. 

But the legal status of marijuana will have little to no bearing on spice, K2, etc. because your average pot user isn't seeking that out.  And the synhetic cannibinoids have had some significant press so it would be near impossible for someone who uses drugs to not be aware of what it is.

Huh.

I'm not willing to make any such sweeping statements about whether marijuana legalization "will" or "will not" have an effect on the usage rates of synthetic cannabinoids that are currently marketed as "pot substitutes", because we don't have data yet, but we will soon.

I will say that it seems unlikely to me that it will have no effect on usage rates, for fairly obvious reasons; users who want marijuana but don't want to break the law will be able to obtain marijuana, and so won't feel the need to settle for "synthetic pot substitute", which really doesn't sound very appealing by comparison.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

I'm glad we finally came to agreement on that idea. 

Carry on with your drug thread.

YAY!  You proved a point nobody was arguing, and all you had to do was admit that your policies create cannibal zombies!

This is AWESOME!  It's like I fell through a fucking wormhole!

It IS lulzy, isn't it?