Headshop drugs loophole ?

Big Gerry

I was just thinking about the law that banned "legal highs".

All "Psychoactive" head shop drugs were made illegal.

My question is how would the Gardai be able to prove that a certain substance was "Psychoactive" ?

If its a brand new drug there would be no clinical data on it only anecdotal stories about its use.

Therefore if someone is caught selling a new head shop drug they could claim there is no hard evidence that the substance in question causes
"Psychoactive" effects in its users.

ohnonotgmail

best of luck if you think you can come with a new psychoactive drug that isnt already covered. Be assured, though, that if you it would be banned and quite possibly overnight.

schedule 1 in this link gives you an idea of how they defined the drugs they want to ban.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/173/made/en/print?q=misuse+drugs+regulations

the_syco

Big Gerry wrote: »

Therefore if someone is caught selling a new head shop drug they could claim there is no hard evidence that the substance in question causes "Psychoactive" effects in its users.

But if "there is no hard evidence that the substance in question causes "Psychoactive" effects in its users", why would said users spend money on it?

Big Gerry

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

best of luck if you think you can come with a new psychoactive drug that isnt already covered. Be assured, though, that if you it would be banned and quite possibly overnight.

schedule 1 in this link gives you an idea of how they defined the drugs they want to ban.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/173/made/en/print?q=misuse+drugs+regulations

Its doesn't cover everything its a blanket ban.


I read that there are over half a million possible formulas for head shop drugs.


There is noway half a million drugs could be listed on statute books.

Big Gerry

the_syco wrote: »

But if "there is no hard evidence that the substance in question causes "Psychoactive" effects in its users", why would said users spend money on it?

Anecdotal stories would be enough for people to buy it.

ohnonotgmail

Big Gerry wrote: »

Its doesn't cover everything its a blanket ban.


I read that there are over half a million possible formulas for head shop drugs.


There is noway half a million drugs could be listed on statute books.

did you look at the schedule? it does list all individual. It lists possible chemical compositions and their analogues.

Big Gerry

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

did you look at the schedule? it does list all individual. It lists possible chemical compositions and their analogues.

Does it include possible cleaning chemicals that can get you high ?

ohnonotgmail

Big Gerry wrote: »

Does it include possible cleaning chemicals that can get you high ?

why dont you take a look at it.

Big Gerry

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

why dont you take a look at it.

I'm no legal scholar that's why I'm no this forum.


Does the law cover glue and other solvents that people can get high on ?

ohnonotgmail

Big Gerry wrote: »

I'm no legal scholar that's why I'm no this forum.


Does the law cover glue and other solvents people that can get high on ?

its a chemist you need not a legal scholar.

ghost of ireland past

The schedule is too complex to be understood by anyone except professional chemists.

How can people comply with laws they cannot understand?

ohnonotgmail

ghost of ireland past wrote: »

The schedule is too complex to be understood by anyone except professional chemists.

How can people comply with laws they cannot understand?

For people selling drugs you employ a chemist who does understand the schedule before you decide to sell something. For people buying drugs dont buy drugs from anywhere but a licenced pharmacist. Pretty simple to comply with.

Big Gerry

ghost of ireland past wrote: »

The schedule is too complex to be understood by anyone except professional chemists.

How can people comply with laws they cannot understand?

I'm surprised no head shop has tried to get around the law in Ireland.


The guy who invented legal highs Dr Zee said he was working on a machine people could buy that would mix legal chemicals and turn them into headshop drugs.

(skip to 36:12)