Pot decriminalization/legalization and the future of synthetics?

[Cuban]

So, Chicago just decided to decriminalize possession of 15g or less of marijuana, joining the trend of states and cities across the US with similar laws. What we are seeing is the push to rational drug policy. That said, what do you think will be the future of synthetic cannabinoids?

Sure, there will still be people who want them for perhaps custom blends of natural and synthetic or those who want to evade drug tests, but I imagine average Joe will put down the spice to pick up weed, myself included. Is there really anyone who prefers synthetics to mj? What do you think the future has in store for synthetic cannabinoids?

 

[Chainer]

I think there are three major factors:
1) Cost. You would not even imagine now insanely cheap this stuff can be. A year's supply worth of synthetics can cost the end user about the same as an ounce of top shelf.
2) drug tests. This is probably the biggest reason people use synthetics.
3) Street level dealers. Some people don't want to risk a trafficking charge - even if it is decriminalized, you can still get pinned for sales.

I think synthetics are as much a part of the future of drug culture as any other street drug now. The sheer strength you can pack into 10mg of powder is absurd.

 

[treezy z]

i'll stay using synthetics until i'm off piss tests, the legality of weed never effected my use of it. (it's decriminalized in my state under an ounce.)

 

[regfairfield]

in my state its decriminalized and synthetic is banned...i never looked at being high on weed as a feeling i "needed"....plus i like heavy indicas and synthetics aint touching that shit

 

[Cuban]

I think there are three major factors:
1) Cost. You would not even imagine now insanely cheap this stuff can be. A year's supply worth of synthetics can cost the end user about the same as an ounce of top shelf.
2) drug tests. This is probably the biggest reason people use synthetics.
3) Street level dealers. Some people don't want to risk a trafficking charge - even if it is decriminalized, you can still get pinned for sales.

I think synthetics are as much a part of the future of drug culture as any other street drug now. The sheer strength you can pack into 10mg of powder is absurd.

Definitely cost is a huge push for use, but I hope that with the growing legal and social tolerance (heh heh) of mj use, that prices will go down dramatically as every tom dick and harry gets a grow op. Chronic at mids price? . Even if it's still cheaper to smoke spice, I personally would prefer the lack of health risks with mj.

One angle I've thought of is how the JWH family and others are based on the tryptamine structure, and are generally considered more psychedelic than mj. Perhaps they will lead the way to some novel chemicals that are more properly psychedelic.

 

[Newbierock]

As great as weed is, theres been plenty of times where i'd much rather smoke a couple mg of jwh and be battered for 4 insane hours. Rather than having to toke the bong every half hour for a high nowhere near as intense...

It's the same with everything, some people prefer different stuff. theres always gonna be a market for synthetics.

 

[treezy z]

ya synthetics are cheaper. i buy blends at a couple convenience stores near my house for a fifth of the price of weed per gram and it's maybe twice as strong.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

I would probably take more of an interest in synthetics if we knew more about their safety. It's only a matter of time before they start testing for them. They already have the means to do so so it's just a case of implementing it.

 

[Chainer]

I would probably take more of an interest in synthetics if we knew more about their safety. It's only a matter of time before they start testing for them. They already have the means to do so so it's just a case of implementing it.

I'd be highly interested in that! I'd love to know if I've done any direct damage to myself using the pure powders. I'm realistically certain what I had acquired throughout the years is in the upper echelons of purity (98%+).

To be fair, I'm somewhat confident that some of the newer variants can be no more dangerous then what is found commonly in pressed pills, cut heroin, meth, coke, etc.

 

[treezy z]

^ ya i doubt synthetic weed is worse than that levamisole shit drugs (mainly coke) are being cut with.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

To be fair, I'm somewhat confident that some of the newer variants can be no more dangerous then what is found commonly in pressed pills, cut heroin, meth, coke, etc.

You would think so wouldn't you? The only thing is there would always be a niggling doubt in the back of my mind since we just don't know for sure. You get a lot of complaints on here about serious and some not so serious side effects from synthetic cannabinoids but it's hard to know whether it's the impurities present in blends or if it's an inherent problem with the synth cannabinoids themselves. Or it could be a load of BS. Sometimes it's second hand information i.e. hearsay and not exactly reliable so I you wouldn't know whether to trust the claims made by certain individuals, but that's the nature of internet forums - anyone can post anything.

With them becoming so popular like I said though, it's only a matter of time before they start testing for them in the work place. If we can establish the safety of these compounds then I would think they would be quite attractive if they offer a relatively safe alternative to other more common recreational drugs. Especially when as you say, they give quite a lot of bang for your buck.

 

[Cuban]

You would think so wouldn't you? The only thing is there would always be a niggling doubt in the back of my mind since we just don't know for sure. You get a lot of complaints on here about serious and some not so serious side effects from synthetic cannabinoids but it's hard to know whether it's the impurities present in blends or if it's an inherent problem with the synth cannabinoids themselves. Or it could be a load of BS. Sometimes it's second hand information i.e. hearsay and not exactly reliable so I you wouldn't know whether to trust the claims made by certain individuals, but that's the nature of internet forums - anyone can post anything.

With them becoming so popular like I said though, it's only a matter of time before they start testing for them in the work place. If we can establish the safety of these compounds then I would think they would be quite attractive if they offer a relatively safe alternative to other more common recreational drugs. Especially when as you say, they give quite a lot of bang for your buck.

One of my concerns with synthetics, besides the unknown health risks, is that stronger full agonists of receptors lend themselves to greater/longer receptor down regulation, such as why AM2201 is a strong but short lived high. Basically, 'chasing the dragon' with synth cannabinoids will lead to easier habituation/tolerance than weed, which is mostly partial agonist cannabinoids.

That said, I believe it's any adult person's right to use spice. At least for me, coming back to weed after giving my receptors a break, I'm sky high as any spice blend.