Why is that some drugs become more popular and/or easier to find than others?

[Channel Zero]

I'm not sure which forum this should go in, so I'll just post it here and let the moderators decide.
Anyways, back to the subject at hand, this is something that I have been wondering about for some time. For example, how come a drug such as cocaine is more well known than a drug such as 2C-T-7? Or how about heroin and DMT? Is it because the manufacturing process is easier/harder depending on the drug? Are the plants/chemicals for some drugs rare or hard to find?

 

[PhreeX]

Good post!
It has to do with the appeal of the drug... DMT is not a "recreational drug" - you take it, have yiour "spirtual experience" or whatever and thats it... but cocaine is a PARTY DRUG ... it all comes down to the MARKET for the drug..
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# unzip ; strip ; touch ; finger ; mount ; fsck ; more ; yes ; umount ; sleep

 

[gun toting hip gansta]

culture as well i would have thought has an effect on it aswell.
in the 70s with the hippy movements, free love, pyschodelic music, LSD use boomed, nowadays with dance music, extasy use is in boom.
Addictibility will also play its part.

 

[WartZ]

Well drugs like cocaine and herion are usually availibly everywhere cuase they are more popular... But no dealer is really interested in drugs that are too strong for most people ie DMT... But region of manufacture goes a long way too like in the east coast (ny) shrooms are usually harder to get.
Its also true that the youth culture at the time is a factor like in the 70's and 60's it was more like a relaxing type of mood. Where as today clubs and raves today would promote speed and extacy.

 

[shoe]

Also the social stigma associated with a drug...
Many, MANY people consume alcohol but 'would never touch drugs'... simply because of what they have been taught all of their lives.
Many people consume marijuana but would never, ever (for example) IV heroin simply because 'it's bad'..
For example...
Hey - when I was little, my mum told me that one joint would get me (without a doubt) addicted to pot.
(sarcasm)Why would we want to use heroin - one tiny, TINY bit instantly turns us into the filth of society?(/sarcasm)
My own best friend refuses to use LSD simply because she is afraid of becoming a vegetable. (simply because of stories that she has heard - we've all heard the one about the guy permanently thinking he is a glass of orange juice..)
Negative propaganda plays a major part in the demand of certain drugs, hence the availability of the drug. It's all supply and demand, kiddo.

 

[evsid]

Drug popularity goes in cycles. When I was a youngen in the mid 70s heroin was a big thing, especially in New York & especially in my neighborhood (the East Village).
SO many people got so messed up by smack that the appeal died out, long before the threat of AIDS via injection. Also the hardcore punk scene and the early rap/hip hop house parties were the dominant scenes, neither of which embraced smack. The punks did speed & the rappers did coke.
Then in the late 80s heroin go SO pure that it could be snorted. Jaded drug users tired of coke but who weren't ready for E tried smack . . .& we all know the rest. I'm glossing over at least 100 other reasons & factors as I don't think anyone wants to read a 100 page reply. I just wanted to give one of many examples of a drugs resurge & wane.