Drug thread: GHB: why the hell is it banned?

Az · November 25, 2003, 21:00

GHB, Gamma-Hydroxy-Butyrate is a banned substance. Why?

It's bad side effects occur when mixed with booze, and when taken in overdose. Other than that, it's completely non-toxic to the body, unlike some of our legal poisons.

Also, it was allowed two decades, until the beginning of the 90s, iirc. Why so?

Note: I haven't been using it, of course, but it made me wonder.

DinoDoc · November 25, 2003, 21:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
It's bad side effects occur when mixed with booze, and when taken in overdose. Other than that, it's completely non-toxic to the body

I call bullshit, Az.

Az · November 25, 2003, 21:12

That's great, does he answer you?

You're, of course, free to prove me wrong.

DinoDoc · November 25, 2003, 21:16

I'd like to see some studies that say the drug is completely non-toxic before I expend the effort.

Az · November 25, 2003, 21:25

http://users.lycaeum.org/~ghbfaq/dangerous.html

it's biased, yes, but it's also well sourced.

Dauphin · November 25, 2003, 21:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
GHB, Gamma-Hydroxy-Butyrate is a banned substance. Why?

Its a date rape drug isn't it? Is that not a good reason in itself to restrict access?

Jon Shafer · November 25, 2003, 21:35

Quote:

Originally posted by Big Crunch
Its a date rape drug isn't it? Is that not a good reason in itself to restrict access?

Yes it is, and that's why it's now illegal whereas before it wasn't.

Guynemer · November 25, 2003, 21:48

Okay, this thread is even more dumb than the "children allowed to vote" thread.

Congrats, Azazel. You win a gold star.

Berzerker · November 26, 2003, 00:40

Quote:

Its a date rape drug isn't it? Is that not a good reason in itself to restrict access?

So is booze, "liquer's quicker". So is a blunt instrument over the head, we don't make booze and blunt instruments illegal, we make rape illegal.

Ben Kenobi · November 26, 2003, 00:49

Berz:

Is booze only used to make people drunk so you can rape them?

Berzerker · November 26, 2003, 01:04

No, and I'm sure this drug has been put to other uses long before someone got the idea of using it for rape.

Vince278 · November 26, 2003, 01:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Berzerker
No, and I'm sure this drug has been put to other uses long before someone got the idea of using it for rape.

What else could it be used for?

Dauphin · November 26, 2003, 01:16

Quote:

Originally posted by Berzerker

So is booze, "liquer's quicker". So is a blunt instrument over the head, we don't make booze and blunt instruments illegal, we make rape illegal.

It still makes sense to make illegal any method, substance or device whose clear and primary reason for existence is the commiting of a crime, with exemptions for reasonable use.

Berzerker · November 26, 2003, 01:52

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What else could it be used for?

Ask the people who developed it.

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It still makes sense to make illegal any method, substance or device whose clear and primary reason for existence is the commiting of a crime, with exemptions for reasonable use.

To a criminal, every method, substance, or device used to commit a crime serves that clear and primary purpose, be it a gun, a knife, or a computer. Making these illegal based on the motives of a criminal is neither reasonable or sensible. Why is it reasonable (or moral) to put innocent people in jail for the behavior of the guilty?

Ben Kenobi · November 26, 2003, 01:56

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Ask the people who developed it

No, that's your job Berz.

Jon Shafer · November 26, 2003, 01:58

It's like making bazookas or flamethrowers legal to own privately. There's only one reason why anyone would want/need something like that, and it's the same for a drug like this.

Berzerker · November 26, 2003, 02:03

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No, that's your job Berz.

Why? I didn't enter this thread claiming to know all the possible uses of this drug.

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It's like making bazookas or flamethrowers legal to own privately. There's only one reason why anyone would want/need something like that, and it's the same for a drug like this.

Yes, I'm sure the chemists who developed this drug decided one day that rapists need a drug to facilitate their crimes.

Ben Kenobi · November 26, 2003, 02:05

You're the only one making the argument that this has a legal use, so you ought to be citing evidence in your favour.

If you have any evidence.

Jon Shafer · November 26, 2003, 02:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Berzerker
Yes, I'm sure the chemists who developed this drug decided one day that rapists need a drug to facilitate their crimes.

It was designed to be used for anesthesia but as is often the case, it had some other "side effects" that rendered it more harmful than helpful.

Berzerker · November 26, 2003, 02:18

Quote:

You're the only one making the argument that this has a legal use, so you ought to be citing evidence in your favour.

You need evidence for that after pointing out that alcohol can be used without rape as a motive? What's stopping me from using this drug without rape as a motive? Btw, others in this thread are claiming the only purpose for this drug is rape but I don't see them citing evidence nor do I see you asking them for evidence...

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If you have any evidence

Gee, all the people who've used the drug without raping others?

Berzerker · November 26, 2003, 02:22

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It was designed to be used for anesthesia but as is often the case, it had some other "side effects" that rendered it more harmful than helpful.

Well then, there's your evidence it has other purposes...

Jon Shafer · November 26, 2003, 02:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Berzerker
Well then, there's your evidence it has other purposes...

And the explosive artillery shell was designed to end all wars.

Combat Ingrid · November 26, 2003, 02:30

Nerve gas can be used as insecticide. Do you think it should be made legal because of this "other purpose"?

Az · November 26, 2003, 03:21

Quote:

Originally posted by Big Crunch

Its a date rape drug isn't it? Is that not a good reason in itself to restrict access?

What do you mean by a date rape drug? that girls are becoming easy because of it?

let's ban Ethanol, too!

It was useful in fields, plus it's a safe recreational drug when used in normal quantities. Much better for you than Ethanol, aka booze.

Berz:

( I don't say that often. )

Jon Miller · November 26, 2003, 03:29

George H Bush?

Jon Miller

Jon Shafer · November 26, 2003, 03:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
What do you mean by a date rape drug? that girls are becoming easy because of it?

let's ban Ethanol, too!

As a powerful sedative it renders a woman incapable of resisting attack and causes almost complete memory loss.

That and most who end up taking GHB didn't choose to, unlike with alcohol...

Berzerker · November 26, 2003, 03:58

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And the explosive artillery shell was designed to end all wars.

Really? And what genius said that?

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As a powerful sedative it renders a woman incapable of resisting attack and causes almost complete memory loss.

A number of drugs can do that.

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That and most who end up taking GHB didn't choose to, unlike with alcohol...

Then make it illegal to slip someone the drug without their knowledge, sheesh!

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Nerve gas can be used as insecticide. Do you think it should be made legal because of this "other purpose"?

Yup. DDT too...

Jon Shafer · November 26, 2003, 04:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Berzerker
Really? And what genius said that?

Well, since you asked...
It was Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite as well as the creator of the Nobel Peace Prize (among other things).

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A number of drugs can do that.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand... they're also illegal.

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Then make it illegal to slip someone the drug without their knowledge, sheesh!

It is. There are stiffer penalties for raping someone after giving them one of these drugs. However, anyone who knows anything knows that punishment doesn't deter crime.

laurentius · November 26, 2003, 04:12

This is used as a date-rape drug...I didnt know that. Many people use it here just as a recreational drug. They even defended it in the national tv couple of years back. I have always thought its quite harmless...

Berzerker · November 26, 2003, 04:48

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Well, since you asked...
It was Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite as well as the creator of the Nobel Peace Prize (among other things).

He invented explosive artillery shells and predicted it would end war? You've switched from explosive artillery shells to dynamite for some reason... But if he said that about either, it just shows genius is no guarantee of common sense...

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Aaaaaaaaaaaaand... they're also illegal.

No they aren't, ever go under the knife? How about the dentist?
Aaaaaand they shouldn't be legal for just those situations...

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It is. There are stiffer penalties for raping someone after giving them one of these drugs. However, anyone who knows anything knows that punishment doesn't deter crime.

But why are the people who don't use it to commit rape being punished because of those who do? If that's the principle being employed, we should be punishing people for having guns, knives, cars, and every other thing in life that can be used to commit a crime.

Quote:

This is used as a date-rape drug...I didnt know that. Many people use it here just as a recreational drug. They even defended it in the national tv couple of years back. I have always thought its quite harmless...

Ah, didn't you know the universe revolves around the USA?

It's used occasionally here, probably rarely, by guys wanting to have sex with women who are passed out or "amenable" to their sexual advances. I don't know if it knocks 'em out or just loosens them up enough for anything goes...