If Opiates & Opioids were Relegalised?

[Gaz_hmmmm]

I was wondering if they were relegalised obviously opium, morphine, codeine and diamorphine (Heroin for the ignorant) would obviously be available.

But I was wondering do people think pharma'/recreational opioid companies would be selling other ester's of morphine and other synthetic and semi-synthetic opioids such as oxycodone(Some people prefer it to Heroin), oxymorphone, methadone, hydromorphone and fentanyl derivatives or do people think these would stay prescription only?

I think the ester's of morphine no more than 10x the strength of morphine would probably be available and also semi and fully synthetics but I don't think recreationally stuff like the fent' analogues would be sold recreationally cause of strength. I know they used to do injectable 'tablets' that were one dose and would dissolve in water for injection and I suppose for potent opioids this could be done but I doubt with the weaker ones available that they'd be offered.

I do think methadone would be maybe offered so people wouldn't have to redose as often and it's be very cheap as it's cheap to make.

Another thing do you think re-legalisation of opioids would be implemented like how in some Southeast Asian countries they had cards/licenses for the Opium/opiate users or do you think it's be anyone over a certain age?

I think it'll be a card/license system so as to try and stop opiate addiction rates rising, even though we know it most likely would rise.

 

[elviswearsnikes]

It is an interesting point you have made and I do think legalisation would have some benefits for actual addicts.

I also think an important factor along with legalisation is regulation, as having potent opiates available for the masses would inevitably lead to abuse and probably increase the number of addicts.

If we could all lead by Portugal's successful approach to drug policy by decriminalisation and subsequent redistributing of funding to the treatment of addicts... other countries may also see a reduction in drug addiction, along with lower rates of drug-related crime and HIV/AIDS, as Portugal have in the past 15 years since their change in drug policy.

 

[belligerent drunk]

It is an interesting point you have made and I do think legalisation would have some benefits for actual addicts.

I also think an important factor along with legalisation is regulation, as having potent opiates available for the masses would inevitably lead to abuse and probably increase the number of addicts.

If we could all lead by Portugal's successful approach to drug policy by decriminalisation and subsequent redistributing of funding to the treatment of addicts... other countries may also see a reduction in drug addiction, along with lower rates of drug-related crime and HIV/AIDS, as Portugal have in the past 15 years since their change in drug policy.

I see a lot of people saying that. Even those who are for legalization (of weed or more) and generally pro-drug say that if hard drugs like opioids were legalized, everyone would start abusing them and become rock-bottom addicts. Why? To put it in perspective, we have the perfectly legal alcohol. Its addiction potential is high, on par with harder opioids. Yet we still are alive, aren't we? Yes, there are hopeless drunks and people who abuse alcohol, but the average person drinks more or less moderately, except for a Friday night or two a month.

One of the main reasons opioid addicts become dysfunctional is because society pushes them away, tries to separate them from the "normal" people by ways of the criminal system, employers drug testing and of course the lack of proper treatment (methadone/buprenorphine). In fact, I would even go as far as to say that a culture of opioids would be better than a culture of alcohol. No hangovers and resulting missed/poor quality work, decreased aggression, decreased health problems (like liver disease and others) and so on.

That said, of course opioids and other drugs would have to be regulated. But I think the system should be similar to the alcohol/nicotine system. As long as you're over a certain age you can buy. Well that's just my two cents.

 

[Gaz_hmmmm]

Hi and thank you for the replies!

It's thought that considering the evidence from places that have decriminalised opiates/heroin that addiction rates would not in fact increase.

I was asking two questions, if you'd don't mind I'd like your opinions on the first which was basically "Do you think only Opium, the opiates it contains and Heroin will be sold for recreational use if relegalised or will all opioids be sold since pharma' companies will be able to make better profits from patentable synthetic opioids?"

Here are the 2 questions in shorter form than the original post.

I was wondering if they were relegalised obviously opium, morphine, codeine and diamorphine (Heroin for the ignorant) would obviously be available.

But I was wondering do people think pharma'/recreational opioid companies would be selling other ester's of morphine and other synthetic and semi-synthetic opioids such as oxycodone(Some people prefer it to Heroin), oxymorphone, methadone, hydromorphone and fentanyl derivatives or do people think these would stay prescription only?

Another thing do you think re-legalisation of opioids would be implemented like how in some Southeast Asian countries they had cards/licenses for the Opium/opiate users or do you think it's be anyone over a certain age?

I think it'll be a card/license system so as to try and stop opiate addiction rates rising, even though we know it most likely would rise.

 

[Chronic Asshole]

If opiates were legalized for recreational use, I don't think pharma companies would bother making anything other than heroin. I feel like no one would buy anything else. Maybe some ppl would be more into oxy, but I see no reason why fentanyl would be considered a recreational drug at this point. It will probably only be use in medical settings, cuz lets be honest here, if you had the choice of any opioid to have fun with, who would choose fentanyl?

Decriminalization may not lead to increased rates of addiction in the few countries that have implemented it, but I have no doubts that full out legalization and sale of opioids would lead to more addicts. Opiates are expensive and kind of a bitch for me to get so I don't go looking for em anymore, but if I could pick up a few points of h from the pharmacy on the way home from work I'd probably be using every day instantly. Opiates have a stigma attached to them, even among people who use other drugs. If recreational opiate use was normalized via legislation then this would lead to much more people trying it I think.

Decriminalization =/= Availability, but Legalization does and I think this is the thing that will make addicts.

Not that I am against legalized opiates or anything, I think it would be really fun.

 

[Cliffy78]

If theyre gonna legalize heroin then I think of course they'd legalize oxy, more products=more money for big pharma and that's what they seem to be all about. Plus u need something weaker than dope on the market for those that aren't comfortable with something as strong as dope is. I also think the rates of abuse would decline, I think that's what happened in Portugal and I think I remember swedens rates dropped as well when they started with the pharmacutical h. I don't feel like searching for sources ATM but I think I remember watching a doc on this.

 

[Gaz_hmmmm]

If theyre gonna legalize heroin then I think of course they'd legalize oxy, more products=more money for big pharma and that's what they seem to be all about. Plus u need something weaker than dope on the market for those that aren't comfortable with something as strong as dope is. I also think the rates of abuse would decline, I think that's what happened in Portugal and I think I remember swedens rates dropped as well when they started with the pharmacutical h. I don't feel like searching for sources ATM but I think I remember watching a doc on this.

You're thinking of Switzerland, not Sweden, that's where they're prescribing diamorphine to injecting addicts who aren'thelped via other methods. Sweden apparently has the harshest drug laws in Europe, other than Russia.

 

[belligerent drunk]

I personally think almost all the usual opioids, not just opiates, would be available if opioids were legalized. People have different tastes. For example I personally wouldn't really want to do heroin; opium could be for special occasions and such. I'd want something in the middle, not too strong, but not too weak.

I think there's a reason there's all kinds of different alcoholic beverages. We have the weak beer, like codeine; then we have the wine, like I don't know, hydrocodone; then we have all kinds of liquors, like oxy and the like; and then we have the vodka, like heroin. This is not the best analogy, but I think you get my point. The more different product, the more customers.

 

[Treefa]

TBH I think it could have major impacts both positive for some and negative for others, or many.
However, I think it's key that they legalize the RIGHT opiates...I think hydrocodone would be an EXCELLENT choice to improve the productivity of the masses....Codeine obviously should be OTC.

Personally I think Morphine should be sold BEHIND THE COUNTER but without an Rx, like pseudoephedrine products. And limits on quantity obviously maybe like 120mg every 24-48 hours, or for Hydrocodone maybe 16 pills/48 hours (10mg obviously).

Honestly I think that an easing up on the super-strict opiate regulations would do GREAT things for America. More people would be WORKING, even if for no other reason than supporting their habits, we MUST increase our GDP or America is going to get fucked hard.
The sensationalist journalists and liberal media exaggerates the so-called "OPIATE EPIDEMIC" looking STRAIGHT PAST the FACT that Americans are reaching for more opiates BECAUSE despite all our technological advances RATES OF CHRONIC PAIN ARE INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY accounting for millions of americans missing days of work, going on disability,etc...the media doesn't report that tho...
I think the GMO foods are making AMERICANS SPECIFICALLY (since Gmo's not labeled here) sicker and more pained, that in turn leads to more demand for narcotic painkillers, and while at the same time the DEA is making them harder to get, it's just a mess, and shits gonna hit the fan soon.
By that time it may be too late to fix the economy, but if you can make Americans FEEL better, they will WANT TO WORK, and they will work harder, longer, and more diligently.

The dea needs to commit suicide, all they're doing is making it REALLY painful to be a living, working human being...

 

[Treefa]

I think OXY shouldn't be legalized, it seems like everybody I've ever known to take OXY only likes it for it's recreational effects.

Personally a pure Mu agonist like hydro, or morphine puts a certain pep in my step while keeping me very clear-headed and functioning at maximum capacity. THAT is what America needs, not more lazy bums looking to get fucked up and sit on their asses all day, it seems like many people think Oxy is better simply for the fact it's so much more sedating, but studies show that morphine, codeine, and other phenatntherines are MUCH safer than synthetics like Methadone, Oxy etc...

Basically the TRUE opiates should be legalized but the Methadone, Bupe, Oxycodone/Morphone, Demerol, and all the other TOXIC opiates should remain Rx only and scheduled to schedule II.
Might as well also make low dose Amphetamine tablets OTC too, some people can't handle their opiates, I can't stand when people waste good opiates by doing absolutely nothing but sitting around on their ass, saying how good they feel....that's such a waste of not only good opiates, but a waste of your life, you only get one, make it count...or don't IDGAF!

 

[Treefa]

PS...opiates should NEVER be legalized for RECREATIONAL use....that's is literally the stupidest most retarded thing I've ever heard....I mean how fucking stupid do you have to be to want to legalize recreational drugs??? I hear about drugs and people "oh im soooo high" enough as is, IDC who uses drugs or why as long as they are PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.

Recrational users have demonstrated themselves time & time again to be simply, well, worthless. Worth less than a dingleberry hanging off my dogs furry ass when he takes a runny shit in 40 degree weather.

If you use drugs for a purpose, self medication IDC what for opiates you can use them for a lot of things; pain, diareeah, motivation, depression, anxiety, endurance...list goes on.

There is just nothing worse than recreational users who act like the only thing worth doing in life IS DRUGS...I like to do drugs, THEN DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE OR FUN etc...so many people nowadays see drugs SOLELY as SOMETHING to do, and that's just a goddamn shame.

 

[Treefa]

The bottom line here is this "a lot of people in 2015 America don't even have enough since to take Tylenol or Benadryl safely and correctly, much less potent opiates!!!"

And I guarantee you on day 1 of opiate legalization there would be dumb SOB's EVERYWHERE dropping like flies, and then the dumbass liberals would start protesting "MAKE OPIATES ILLEGAL AGIAN, WE're TOO STUPID TO BE RESPONSIBLE AT ALL"

There's always a small group who can always seem to ruin good things for sensible, responsible people. Never fails.

 

[belligerent drunk]

not more lazy bums looking to get fucked up and sit on their asses all day, it seems like many people think Oxy is better simply for the fact it's so much more sedating, but studies show that morphine, codeine, and other phenatntherines are MUCH safer than synthetics like Methadone, Oxy etc...

Basically the TRUE opiates should be legalized but the Methadone, Bupe, Oxycodone/Morphone, Demerol, and all the other TOXIC opiates should remain Rx only and scheduled to schedule II.

Oxy is among the stimulating opioids, as opposed to codeine/morphine which are more sedating. Also, any studies to back up your claims that synthetic opioids are more toxic (let alone MUCH more toxic) than the natural ones? Actually, I would like to see you produce a few studies which show that the synthetics you mentioned are toxic. You know, because I don't want to take your word for it? I hope you're not one of those who say "smoke weed, maan, that shit comes from the mother nature!" and when asked if they would want some delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol they reply "no maan, I'm not taking no chemicals maan".

PS...opiates should NEVER be legalized for RECREATIONAL use....that's is literally the stupidest most retarded thing I've ever heard....I mean how fucking stupid do you have to be to want to legalize recreational drugs??? I hear about drugs and people "oh im soooo high" enough as is, IDC who uses drugs or why as long as they are PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.

You contradict yourself in the span of 2 sentences. If you don't care what purpose people use drugs for as long as they're productive, then why are you so adamantly against complete legalization?

And I guarantee you on day 1 of opiate legalization there would be dumb SOB's EVERYWHERE dropping like flies, and then the dumbass liberals would start protesting "MAKE OPIATES ILLEGAL AGIAN, WE're TOO STUPID TO BE RESPONSIBLE AT ALL"

Any sound logical arguments to back that up? Because here's mine. Currently there is a certain stigma surrounding opioid use, the average Joe either doesn't care for them or hears all the horror stories of opioid/heroin addictions and overdose. Those are the people who don't use and they will be reluctant to start using until a lot later, definitely not on day one. Now, after opioids are made legal and sold at KNOWN purity and dosage at pharmacies, a lot of heroin users will likely choose to buy their fix from there, thus dramatically decreasing the likelihood of an overdose.

 

[bingey]

codeine is legal in a shitload of countries and it's the best thing for pain , diarrhea and dry coughs. don't need anything else really , oxycodone would be nice but it breaks with tradition.