Thought Experiment - New Drug Discovered

flying _squirl

Just a quick thought experiment. I wanna see what other Irish people would say.

Alternate reality: It's 2009, a new drug has been discovered the main effect of which is decreased inhibition.

The side effects, depending on exposure, include, but are not limited to, inability to reason, nausea, vomiting, loosing conciousness, headaches, depression, liver damage and even birth defects.

Is this new drug, 'alcohol', legalised? Thoughts?


I'd say it'd get banned right off the bat and that the government would roll out a massive anti-drug campaign and an education program dealing with the harmful effects of this new danger


EDIT: This isn't intended as an argument to legalise other drugs bdw, just want to see what you'd think about it if it was just discovered

EDITEDIT: just wanted to add in birth defects and liver damage to the side effects list

me_right_one

I'd say yes, it would be legalised. The main reason being its extremley low levels of addictiveness. The stuff you quoted would happen to you if you took too much of anything! Give a child too many sweets for example!

flying _squirl

flying _squirl wrote: »

I'd say it'd get banned right off the bat and that the government would roll out a massive anti-drug campaign and an education program dealing with the harmful effects of this new danger

Nope, they'd realize they could legalize it, tax it and ban every alternative that could lower that tax revenue.

My name is URL

It would be made illegal for sure

me_right_one

me_right_one wrote: »

I'd say yes, it would be legalised. The main reason being its extremley low levels of addictiveness. The stuff you quoted would happen to you if you took too much of anything! Give a child too many sweets for example!

Taking the piss yea? When you look at what is illegal, alcohol is much worse.

me_right_one

Deleted User wrote: »

Taking the piss yea? When you look at what is illegal, alcohol is much worse.

Sore head have we?

flying _squirl

Just added liver damage to the list of side effects

me_right_one

me_right_one wrote: »

Sore head have we?

Yep.

TPD

Illegal. You say this thread isn't for debating other drugs, but you know rightly it would come up :P

Apply the same criteria to cannabis, I'd say legal. I wouldn't mind if they swapped the laws even.

davyjose

flying _squirl wrote: »

Just a quick thought experiment. I wanna see what other Irish people would say.

Alternate reality: It's 2009, a new drug has been discovered the main effect of which is decreased inhibition.

The side effects, depending on exposure, include, but are not limited to, inability to reason, nausea, vomiting, loosing conciousness, headaches, depression and liver damage.

Is this new drug, 'alcohol', legalised? Thoughts?


I'd say it'd get banned right off the bat and that the government would roll out a massive anti-drug campaign and an education program dealing with the harmful effects of this new danger


EDIT: This isn't intended as an argument to legalise other drugs bdw, just want to see what you'd think about it if it was just discovered

EDITEDIT: just wanted to add in liver damage to the side effects list

As long as I can have a nice tobaccoey, cancery cigarette, who cares?

R0ot

Ireland's top scientists would have discovered a way to turn our race into pure energy [/family guy] :pac:

flying _squirl

The Perfect Drug wrote: »

Illegal. You say this thread isn't for debating other drugs, but you know rightly it would come up :P

Apply the same criteria to cannabis, I'd say legal. I wouldn't mind if they swapped the laws even.

heh, yea, i know just wanted to say it wasn't my original intent

food for thought:
Top ten most dangerous drugs:
1. Heroin - popular street names include smack, skag, and junk.
2. Cocaine - often referred to as snow, flake, coke, and blow.
3. Barbiturates - popular slang names include yellow jackets, reds, blues, Amy's, and rainbows.
4. Street Methadone
5. Alcohol
6. Ketamine - a powerful hallucinogen, often referred to as Special K.
7. Benzodiazepines - a family of sedative drugs.
8. Amphetamines - known as greenies among baseball players.
9. Tobacco
10. Buprenorphine - also called bupe or subbies.

NOTE: not too sure of the credibility of that site anyone got a better source?
slightly better:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/02/david-nutt-dangerous-drug-list

anti-venom

Prohibition works. People never use banned substances, they're not curious about them and banning them will not endow them with an aura of mystery. If they were legal no doubt everyone would be using them.

CuLT

Alternate reality: it is the year 2009, mankind faces an epic struggle for survival. The forces of nature have spun wildly out of control. Mighty cities have crumbled and the dinosaurs have returned to reclaim the Earth. In this savage land, one man stands alone - Jack Tenrac, defending humanity in a world gone mad. A world where only the strong survive; a world of...

Is this world Cadillacs and Dinosaurs? Thoughts?

flying _squirl

CuLT wrote: »

Alternate reality: it is the year 2009, mankind faces an epic struggle for survival. The forces of nature have spun wildly out of control. Mighty cities have crumbled and the dinosaurs have returned to reclaim the Earth. In this savage land, one man stands alone - Jack Tenrac, defending humanity in a world gone mad. A world where only the strong survive; a world of...

Is this world Cadillacs and Dinosaurs? Thoughts?

so... are you saying it wouldn't be?

(also, I'd totally see that movie... just once it wasn't done by Michael Bay)

CuLT

flying _squirl wrote: »

so... are you saying it wouldn't be?

(also, I'd totally see that movie... just once it wasn't done by Michael Bay)

I'm not sure what I'm saying really, I just read your opening paragraph and thought of cadillacs and dinosaurs

flying _squirl

CuLT wrote: »

I'm not sure what I'm saying really, I just read your opening paragraph and thought of cadillacs and dinosaurs

:eek: holy awesome batman!!!

ride-the-spiral

flying _squirl wrote: »

heh, yea, i know just wanted to say it wasn't my original intent

food for thought:
Top ten most dangerous drugs:
1. Heroin - popular street names include smack, skag, and junk.
2. Cocaine - often referred to as snow, flake, coke, and blow.
3. Barbiturates - popular slang names include yellow jackets, reds, blues, Amy's, and rainbows.
4. Street Methadone
5. Alcohol
6. Ketamine - a powerful hallucinogen, often referred to as Special K.
7. Benzodiazepines - a family of sedative drugs.
8. Amphetamines - known as greenies among baseball players.
9. Tobacco
10. Buprenorphine - also called bupe or subbies.

NOTE: not too sure of the credibility of that site anyone got a better source?
slightly better:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/02/david-nutt-dangerous-drug-list

Strange, I would've though Tobacco is more addictive than alcohol.

TPD

ride-the-spiral wrote: »

Strange, I would've though Tobacco is more addictive than alcohol.

Addictiveness != dangerousness

Captain Havoc

Yeah, alcohol and fags would definately be banned but for the fact they've been around since the year dot. I wouldn't mind seeing fags getting banned right now, the fags make the hangover so much worse. I would like to see canabis getting legalised though.

Lia_lia

Probably would be, yeah. But how boring, the only reason I drink alcohol is the actual drinking part really. Liquids and all that. The effects of alcohol are pretty **** on me.

Joey the lips

This is another cannibas arguement right..... The same could be said for ciggerattes. Then again petrol as it harms the environment. The list goes on.

davyjose

Yeah, we'd definitely need something; if not alcohol, then something else to take the edge off life. imagine waking up every morning knowing this is as good as it gets ... shudder!!!

ride-the-spiral

The Perfect Drug wrote: »

Addictiveness != dangerousness

Oh right sorry, didn't notice that. Makes sense now I guess. :pac:

Bobeagleburger

flying _squirl wrote: »

heh, yea, i know just wanted to say it wasn't my original intent

food for thought:
Top ten most dangerous drugs:
1. Heroin - popular street names include smack, skag, and junk.
2. Cocaine - often referred to as snow, flake, coke, and blow.
3. Barbiturates - popular slang names include yellow jackets, reds, blues, Amy's, and rainbows.
4. Street Methadone
5. Alcohol
6. Ketamine - a powerful hallucinogen, often referred to as Special K.
7. Benzodiazepines - a family of sedative drugs.
8. Amphetamines - known as greenies among baseball players.
9. Tobacco
10. Buprenorphine - also called bupe or subbies.

NOTE: not too sure of the credibility of that site anyone got a better source?
slightly better:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/02/david-nutt-dangerous-drug-list

Methanphetamine and crack should be in the list above Heroin.

Shacklebolt

rarnes1 wrote: »

Methanphetamine and crack should be in the list above Heroin.

Crack is a form of cocaine.

AntoSRFC

Shacklebolt wrote: »

Crack is a form of cocaine.

Both very different drugs though. Crack is a hell of a lot more addictive.

Executive Steve

AntoSRFC wrote: »

Both very different drugs though. Crack is a hell of a lot more addictive.

As has been stated before, "addictive" and "dangerous" aren't necessarily the same thing though.

WeWillBeReborn

flying _squirl wrote: »

Just a quick thought experiment. I wanna see what other Irish people would say.

Alternate reality: It's 2009, a new drug has been discovered the main effect of which is decreased inhibition.

The side effects, depending on exposure, include, but are not limited to, inability to reason, nausea, vomiting, loosing conciousness, headaches, depression, liver damage and even birth defects.

Is this new drug, 'alcohol', legalised? Thoughts?


I'd say it'd get banned right off the bat and that the government would roll out a massive anti-drug campaign and an education program dealing with the harmful effects of this new danger


EDIT: This isn't intended as an argument to legalise other drugs bdw, just want to see what you'd think about it if it was just discovered

EDITEDIT: just wanted to add in birth defects and liver damage to the side effects list

This sounds like an episode of Fringe

Crumble Froo

rarnes1 wrote: »

Methanphetamine and crack should be in the list above Heroin.

i'd imagine the method of taking the drug - ie, injecting, would be included as part of the danger with heroin. HIV, hep B, hep C, abscesses, fcuked veins, and just the high risk of going over (O.D), can make it quite a dangerous drug, without factoring in the addictiveness etc.

Prof.Badass

flying _squirl wrote: »

Just a quick thought experiment. I wanna see what other Irish people would say.

Alternate reality: It's 2009, a new drug has been discovered the main effect of which is decreased inhibition.

The side effects, depending on exposure, include, but are not limited to, inability to reason, nausea, vomiting, loosing conciousness, headaches, depression, liver damage and even birth defects.

Is this new drug, 'alcohol', legalised? Thoughts?


I'd say it'd get banned right off the bat and that the government would roll out a massive anti-drug campaign and an education program dealing with the harmful effects of this new danger


EDIT: This isn't intended as an argument to legalise other drugs bdw, just want to see what you'd think about it if it was just discovered

EDITEDIT: just wanted to add in birth defects and liver damage to the side effects list

No-one would do it, not even the homeless. Instead people would get the same effects from a far safer drug (probably a benzo or possibly ghb). In such a society drinking alcohol would be seen the same way we look at huffing solvents.

MDMA would also have never taken off because people wouldn't be used to the idea of accepting a horrible aftermath as part of a good weekend.