The Stimulants of Prohibition: Illegality and New Synthetic Drugs

Abstract

In the last few years there have been several 'drug panics' over new synthetic drugs such as mephedrone and the substituted cathinones. These new designer stimulants have become increasingly popular as substitutes for 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine and other 'classic' stimulants. This paper discusses these compounds in the context of the substitutional effects caused by drug prohibition. As drugs are banned, new drugs crop up to replace them. This results in the diversification and proliferation of new drug markets, drugs, drug distributors, and drug consumers. Processes of illegalization are shown to have directly resulted in an explosion of new synthetic stimulant drugs, and irrevocably altered the conventional geographies of drug production, distribution, and consumption. The continuing prohibition of these new substances along with the ones they originally substituted for has had the effect of creating ever-evolving stimulant drug markets, which foster more dangerous conditions for users than the original drug markets themselves.EXTRACTO Au cours des dernières années il y a eu plusieurs 'crises' concernant les nouvelles drogues synthétiques, telles l'éphédrine et les cathinones de synthèse. Ces nouveaux stimulants de synthèse sont devenus de plus en plus populaires comme substituts de la MDMA et des autres stimulants 'classiques'. Cet article discute de ces composés dans le contexte des effets de substitution qui s'expliquent par l'interdiction des drogues. Au fur et à mesure que certaines drogues sont interdites, de nouvelles drogues apparaissent et les remplacent. Il s'ensuit la diversification et la prolifération de nouvelles drogues, de nouveaux marchés, de nouveaux distributeurs et de nouveaux usagers. On montre que les processus d'interdiction entraînent directement une explosion des stimulants synthétiques et modifient irrévocablement les géographies conventionnelles de la production, de la distribution et de la consommation de drogues. L'interdiction continue de ces nouveaux stupéfiants conjointement avec ceux auxquels ils se sont substitués dans un premier temps, a eu l'effet de créer des marchés de stimulants en pleine évolution qui encouragent des conditions plus dangereuses pour les usagers que ne le font les marchés de drogues initiaux.摘要 过去数年来，对诸如中枢神经兴奋剂4-甲基甲基卡西酮(mephedrone)、以及 取代卡西酮(substitutedcathinones)等新的合成毒品，数度产生'毒品恐慌'。这些新的 设计兴奋剂，已逐渐流行成为摇头丸(MDMA)及其他'经典'兴奋剂的替代品。本文 在因禁用毒品而导致的取代作用之脉络下，探讨这些化合物。当毒品被禁止时，新的 毒品出现并取而代之，结果导致新兴毒品市场、毒品、毒品散布者与毒品消费者的分 化与增生。将毒品非法化的过程，证明已直接导致新的合成兴奋剂毒品的爆炸，以及 对药物生产、传播和消费的传统地理造成无法挽回的改变。这些新物品、及其原本取 代之物的持续禁止，已影响了创造不断演化的兴奋剂毒品市场，并且相较于原本的毒 品市场本身而言，导致对使用者更加危险的处境。 RESUME En los últimos años han surgido varios 'pánicos' por las drogas debido a las nuevas drogas sintéticas, tales como mefedrona y catinona de sustitución. Estos nuevos estimulantes de diseño se utilizan cada vez más como sustitutos de MDMA y otros estimulantes 'clásicos'. En este artículo analizamos estos componentes en el contexto de los efectos de sustitución causados por la prohibición de drogas. Cuando se prohíb...

Towards a cultural political economy of the illicit

“…At the same time these works have also shown how the legal/illegal boundary is fictitious. For instance, Taylor (2015) anticipates key elements of Gregson and Crang’s (2016) critique, showing that the illicit is not a characteristic of particular goods or places. Discussing the synthetic drug known as butylone (bk-MBDB), Taylor (2015) shows that this substance is legal in some countries (e.g.…”

“…For instance, Taylor (2015) anticipates key elements of Gregson and Crang’s (2016) critique, showing that the illicit is not a characteristic of particular goods or places. Discussing the synthetic drug known as butylone (bk-MBDB), Taylor (2015) shows that this substance is legal in some countries (e.g. Denmark, Poland and India), but illegal in others (e.g.…”

Synthetic Cathinone Use Among Polysubstance Users: Indirect Indicator of Indiscriminate Drug Taking or Preferred Drug of Abuse?

“…Should next-generation SC formulas produce enjoyable drug experiences with fewer undesired effects, then rates would likely grow irrespective of age. Should a demand for SCs increase, it is likely that a black market would develop proportionally because or in spite of prohibitions (Perrone, Helgeson, & Fischer, 2013; Taylor, 2015).…”

Illegal geographies and spatial planning: developing a dialogue on drugs

“…As noted above, one of the most obvious is the location of drug treatment centres and safe/supervised places for people to use drugs. However, the nature of public opinion via NIMBYism 28 , 'socio-spatial stigmatisation' (Smith, 2010) and 'moral panic' (Agnew, 2015;Taylor, 2015;Young, 1988) means that planning permission for the 'location of unwanted land uses' (Németh and Ross, 2014) is territorially contentious. On opposition to injection facilities in Vancouver see McCann (2008); on 'recourse to planning policy' linked to land zoning for addiction treatment clinics in Toronto see Smith (2010); on 'planning for marijuana' through the location of medical dispensaries in Denver see Németh and Ross (2014); on land use planning and outdoor marijuana cultivation in California see Polson (2015); on the conflicts over social and medical services for drugs users in Switzerland, Amsterdam, Glasgow and Frankfurt see Kübler and Wälti (2001); on tensions between favela activism and drug traffickers in Brazil 29 see Souza (2005).…”

“…Originates back to 1971 when the Nixon administration in America prohibited certain drugs and began to use military means to reduce drug production, distribution and consumption. In the intervening years the 'war on drugs' has extended around the world is now a truly global policy network involving nation states, drug enforcement agencies and international organisations.13 For example, the reality is that it has become a 'war on drug users'(Boland, 2008) and in many cases a 'war on people of colour'(Taylor, 2015).14 Taylor (2015) argues that variants of synthetic drugs are rising exponentially because of prohibitionist policies, for example during 2009-13 some 243 new drugs were discovered. The irony is that older illegal drugs are actually safer than new (not yet illegal) drugs due to knowledge of their risks, such important information is lacking in newly developed drugs.…”