Just out of curiosity, what are the criteria that are used to determine what class a drug is? Is it addictiveness, neurotoxicity... what? Couldn't think of any criteria that were consistent with the actual system, does anyone know what they're based on?

i don't think there's a real scheme behind the classifications.

 

in the case of heroin or cocaine they could argue the class A status for them being addictive substances, but then this argument obviously can't be true for acid or ecstasy.

 

public backlash against drug use, i would suggest, is probably an influencing factor when classifying drugs, in particular in the media. i think scare stories in the newspapers around the time of acid in the 60s were to blame for its high classification although i might be wrong.

totally agree with ya Tom!!!

yeah, that makes sense, they do react to reactions it looks like.

 

Does seem a bit weird that such a "serious" issue has a seemingly arbitrary (no, not arbitrary, that's not the word it want... what i mean is without factual "scientific" substance-based support) basis though - anybody agree/disagree?

Im pretty sure its to do with addictiveness, street value & potential harm to the individual

good point sarah, but i still think that several of the substances classified as 'A', when looked at objectively, don't actually harm the individual, have a low street value and are not at all addictive - pills and acid, for example.

 

fantastique> when you look at it, it's just like any other governmental policy - it's partially about winning votes and ensuring a long term of office, and if that means pleasing the *voting* majority (i stress *voting* because young people are less likely to vote, so you're essentially trying to please middle England) then a policy doesn't necessarily have to be backed by scientific fact....

 

 

Talk to frank.

agree with it or disagree with it, in the US there is a very well defined set of rules against which drugs are scheduled and their appropriate schedules selected. in brief:

 

schedule i

examples: LSD, MDMA, Marihuana, DMT, Peyote, Psilocybin, Mescaline, Heroin

- The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.

- The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

- There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

 

schedule ii

examples: Cocaine, Hydrocodone, Morphine, Opium, Amphetamine, PCP

- The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.

- The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions.

- Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

 

schedule iii

examples: Anabolic Steroids, Marinol (Synthetic THC), Ketamine, LSA

- The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in Schedules I and II.

- The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

- Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderte or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.

 

schedule iv

examples: Valium, Xanax, Librium, Rohypnol, Klonopin

- The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule III.

- The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

- Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule III.

 

schedule v

examples: Buprenorphine, Pyrovalerone, Prescription Meds containing low quanitites of Codeine, Opium, etc.

- The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule IV.

- The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

- Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule IV.

 

here, you can read the full Controlled Substances Act

 

i'm not certain but i'm sure the equivalent legislation in the UK follows the same general pattern.

 

alasdair

So how do you work out Methamphetamine cos this is a class B drug but when prepared for injecting it becomes a class A

flakey_dove said:

Talk to frank.

 

LOL, i think their advert for E's is quality. "If E did this to you without side effects, we would all be doing it"

 

That man up that lampost creased me up!

 

Drugs is supposed to be serious topic, i'm surprised it's being trivialised in such a way on daytime TV. Additionally that Talk to Frank site contains plenty of misinformation.

fantastique said:

Just out of curiosity, what are the criteria that are used to determine what class a drug is? Is it addictiveness, neurotoxicity... what? Couldn't think of any criteria that were consistent with the actual system, does anyone know what they're based on?

 

there is currently no proper system of classifying drugs, thats why u always hear proposals for drugs to be re-classified, eg. Cannabis from B to C, ecstasy from A to B.

 

need to sort it out really!

TomD said:

good point sarah, but i still think that several of the substances classified as 'A', when looked at objectively, don't actually harm the individual, have a low street value and are not at all addictive - pills and acid, for example.

 

 

 

 

 

I do believe Pills have been classified a class B now.

AS for acid i do believe it should be a class A due to the amount of people that have ended up being mentally sectioned over it or screwed up for life.

SarahPvc said:

I do believe Pills have been classified a class B now.

AS for acid i do believe it should be a class A due to the amount of people that have ended up being mentally sectioned over it or screwed up for life.

There was talk of making pills a class B, but I don't think it was implemented due to political pressure...

 

Also there are plenty of drugs that should be class A drugs, but are not currently. LSD is a bad example, like most drugs, if it is taken in moderation, it is safe, if you apply your logic to any drug, then all should be class A's...

NeoN said:

So how do you work out Methamphetamine cos this is a class B drug but when prepared for injecting it becomes a class A

 

any drug when prepared for injection becomes class A apparently.

rickd said:

SarahPvc said:

I do believe Pills have been classified a class B now.

AS for acid i do believe it should be a class A due to the amount of people that have ended up being mentally sectioned over it or screwed up for life.

There was talk of making pills a class B, but I don't think it was implemented due to political pressure...

 

Also there are plenty of drugs that should be class A drugs, but are not currently. LSD is a bad example, like most drugs, if it is taken in moderation, it is safe, if you apply your logic to any drug, then all should be class A's...

 

It isnt my logic - its based on facts & statistics