The foreign substance causing all the trouble is levamisole, a veterinary de-worming drug. According to the DEA, three-quarters of cocaine seized by the agency has this animal medicine. Drug traffickers are choosing levamisole because it’s inexpensive and produces euphoria and hyperalertness as side effects.
Cocaine users are unknowingly inhaling it and experiencing a very,very bad allergic reaction. In some cases, the skin damage is so extensive that a graft and plastic surgery is needed. [Scientific American]
Anon
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 4:24 PMThis is very funny!
Well, dont say they wern’t warned – do drugs and bad things will happen.
No sympathy
Jack
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 6:53 PMNot all drugs are bad, eg. weed,
Paracetamol, etc.
I defiantly don’t think cocaine users deserve this, I know many who suffer from bipolar and are users.
I really dislike your comment.
Grey
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 7:41 PMThere are plenty of medications available for bipolar disorder; lithium, valproate and carbamazepine come to mind. Granted, they’re not all that pleasant to take, but you’re not going to get hooked on them. They’re also not illegal.
Just because someone gets migraines doesn’t justify abusing codeine (which, unlike cocaine, is legal).
Francis M
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 12:13 AMPlus since Codeine is the wrong drug to treat a true Migrane would be a complete waste of time…
Scott
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 4:26 PMNews Headlines ” Consumer groups up in Arms”
TSH
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 4:31 PM… if it were decriminalised, regulated and taxed. Still not sure that drugs like this should be, but that’s one argument for it.
wsDK_II
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 4:31 PMnew headline:
“Idiots now identifiable by colour of skin”
Stephen
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 4:43 PMSo the “war on drugs” is comfortable with this kind of effect on people who’ve become addicted to illicit drugs?
Fighting a war we can’t win, against enemies we never see, the victims are just “collateral damage”.
Legalise these drugs, manage addiction as a medical condition, and control sale of the drugs through pharmacies. Cheaper, easier, less socially damaging. And you don’t end up jailing ridiculous numbers of people who failed to “just say no”.
Steve
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 1:12 AMSorry, that would take too much sense. If The Wire has taught me anything, it’s that politicians will never approve of this, due to the fear of being perceived as soft on drugs and crime.
It’s the same reason there are many states in the US where “Sex Education” is strictly Abstinance Only.
DarthDVD
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 5:42 PMMining Industry, Air-Craft/Line Industry, any industry with OH&S consirns about empairment of alertness and mental funtion will not tolerate any drug that has those effects on its employees to increased risk.
You wouldnt get on a plane if the pilot was stoned would you? (or a plane screened/repaired by someone high on something would you?
Captain Zig Zag
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 5:56 PMI wouldn’t feel comfortable getting on a plane if the pilot was drunk either. Your point?
Stephen
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 6:45 PMThe pilot would actually operate better stoned than drunk. Do you see drunk pilots flying planes?
You do raise a good point. Alcohol tends to have worse physical, physiological and psychological effects than most banned substances – let’s ban alcohol!
Steve
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 1:14 AMI don’t know about you, but Stoned Me is the safest driver. Mostly because you’re paranoid and drive like an old woman and the road lanes are flashing past like… lights brah.
Cong
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 7:08 PMYou do know that Cocaine in Australia was legal early in the 20th century
Jack
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 7:09 PMEND THE WAR ON DRUGS.
Charlie Foxtrot
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 8:37 PMSo many good points here.
I honestly don’t like being told what I can and cant do to my body. Educate me on the risk and let me suffer the consequences, and if I die good riddance.
Lastly, I don’t take drugs (anymore) apart from alcohol, and the experience on those illegal drugs made me feel more human then anything since. Open those third eyes. End the war on drugs ;)
p.s. Please no rebuttal on the cases of people harming others under the influence of illegal substances because these are but I small minority that would no sooner do the same with a sober mind.
Jack
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 10:27 PMDrugs like psilocybe have taken close to nill lives and are so helpful to the mind, it’s incomprehensible.
I seriously think they need to re-think the laws so it makes it safe for the people, rather than polition’s personal beliefs.
Terry
Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 12:29 PMStop treating users like criminals and they’ll be more likely to point the finger at dodgy suppliers.
Those are the people who need to be tracked down and shot. Not Joe User.
Dodgy suppliers won’t last long if they know upset users can get the law on their side.