Forum mission:
Our goal is to hold detailed discussion of specialized topics in pharmacology, focusing on the mechanisms underlying the complex and multifaceted activity of various compounds. General questions about the chemical properties of drugs themselves, and the underlying biochemical systems that respond to these compounds are also encouraged. In sum, our goal is to discuss chemical, biological, neurological, etc. research far more extensively and rigorously than can be found elsewhere on this site.
We encourage posters to draw explicitly from published research, as this tends to cultivate more focused, fruitful discussion. However, we also encourage limited speculative discussion, directed by educated guesswork (that is, rooted in some logic in terms of pharmacological mechanisms).
Examples of things we want to see include:
-Discussion rooted in research from a peer-reviewed journal. Provide at least the abstract and a link back to the article. Please focus on quality over quantity. Discussion of the research is much more valuable than link dumps, please organize those in NSFW tags and give a short summary of the papers referenced. This is similar to the Drugs in the Media format
-Review/summary of a series of at least two related peer-reviewed articles and presentation of said summaries in a "for your information" format
-Presentation of a "problem" that you are trying to answer. Include what you have come up with so far, and ask for assistance discerning the solution to your problem.
-Presentation of accepted facts and exploration of what (if anything) can be extrapolated beyond what is known
-Presentation of two supported theories that seem to be in conflict with each other and debate over the relative merits of each
Unacceptable discussion:
1. Synthesis discussion: this rule is applied site-wide and should be obvious to you already. Synthesis discussion could attract the type of unwanted attention from law enforcement agencies that would jeopardize the site in its entirety. As a rule of thumb, if the discussion at hand involves successive steps and reagents, with the goal of transforming a precursor into a different compound, it is synthesis discussion. This applies even to legal compounds, supplements, nootropics, etc. But there are grey areas. It is acceptable to talk about washing/cleaning drugs and the chemistry involved in the appearance of toxic by-products commonly found in them. Methods for extractions from pharmaceuticals or plant materials are typically acceptable (though are also usually covered in other sub-forums, particularly when the procedures are straightforward).
2. Ad-hominem attacks: personally attacking someone adds nothing to the elucidation cultivated by fruitful debate; just don't be an asshole, even if you're right.
3. Baseless speculation: again, make sure that reasoned argument and at least some empirical data support the claims that you make. This includes "what did I take" type threads as well as identification of mystery compounds. At best, you get lucky and someone guesses the right answer. At worst, you can get hurt working on false assumptions about your drugs. If you need concrete identification of drugs or their impurities, take it to a testing service, or get test kits.
4a. Medical/psychiatric questions: in particular, we are not here to advise you on what drugs you should take to treat a disorder you have diagnosed in yourself--that's your physician's job. However, discussion of the mechanisms involved in psychiatric medications is encouraged.
4b. What should I take/Why don't I feel it: we are not here to tell you what drugs to take, or why drug X didn't have the effects you desired from it (unless the latter presents a truly interesting pharmacological puzzle); we are discussing pharmacology, not acting as amateur pharmacists.
5. Vendor hype: this is not the venue for attempted viral marketing, even if subtle. The clearest examples tend to take the form, "Chemical Y is about to hit the market. I have tried it, and it's more euphoric than MDMA but with fewer after-effects," "chemical Y" often being referred to by some stupid attempt at a brand name. Don't do anything like this.
6. Drug testing questions: this too is a site-wide policy: the answers will be too speculative to be very useful to you, and none of us are qualified to provide you with legal advice.
Finally, regarding mod-decisions:
If you have a problem with an action taken by a mod, please PM them. If you're still dissatisfied with the response and resolution, please PM the overseeing smod or admin. If you are still dissatisfied, start a thread in Support to discuss the matter in a wider venue, with various staff and other site members.
Anyway, have fun! Remember that we're just a bunch of druggies who finally decided to get nerdy about it.
--The Mod Team: skorpio
Goes to show that maybe people need to approach very new compounds with Shulginesque dosing schedules until more research comes out.
