australian study now recruiting: synthetic cannabis and the law

[jabez]

You're invited to participate in a study investigating the use of synthetic cannabis, otherwise known as Kronic, K2, Spice, Kaos, Northern Lights, Aussie Gold, Puff, Zeus, and many other brands...

 

You DO NOT need to be a past or current user of synthetic cannabis to be eligible for this study, and we are especially interested in hearing from people with no prior use of these drugs. However, you DO need to be at least 18 years of age and an Australian resident in order to be eligible.

 

Participation in this study involves completing an online survey lasting 20 minutes. It is entirely voluntary, completely anonymous and no identifying information will be collected.

 

Visit the following URL to participate:

http://kronicstudy.net

 

For further information, contact Monica via email m.barratt@curtin.edu.au, twitter @monicabarratt, phone +61 407 778 938

 

 

Obviously this study isn’t about organic cannabis itself. Although, these synthetics are used as an alternative to cannabis, so I think it’s fully appropriate for the cannabis reseach forum.

 

Anyway, its easy and doesn’t take that long and is also for a good cause, so hopefully everyone can participate.

 

Peace.

[Syb3 rm3nt41_%20]

yeah, well, people smoke damiana as a herb with relaxing properties as an alternative to cannabis..... Should we begin to include all alternatives ? Besides, would you enjoy a gram of jwh or a gram of hash?.....

 

cheers'

[jabez]

damiana doesn't get you stoned. Keep to the topic please.

[Syb3 rm3nt41_%20]

damiana doesn't get you stoned. Keep to the topic please.

This thread is cannabis and the law.......synthetic cannabinoid antagonists are not cannabis, it doesnt get you stoned. It is incredibly damaging to suggest they are even relatives. This will create damaging stigma's about cannabis..... by highlighting cannabis alongside these dangerous research chem's of such toxicity is like stating in a coffee coinesseur's forum that they should discuss amphetamines because they to are a stimulant just the same. fucking genius mate, we are all humbled by your omnipotent expertise. The cannabis movement does not need to be affiliated with toxic substances that have already killed users.

 

You know this though right,

 

Mahalos'

 

*edit: Damiana IS and HAS been used as a cannabis alternative due to its relaxant effects.*

Edited December 10, 2011 by Syb3 rm3nt41_%20

[jabez]

These synthetics do get you stoned by activating the same receptors as THC. Fact is, there are a lot of cannabis smokers out there who use these synthetics when they can’t get cannabis. Anything that can be done to get a better understanding of why people use these synthetics and how much worse the side effects are when compared to cannabis, is a good thing.

 

Damania has absolutely no effect for the majority of people who use it and certainly does not activate your cannabinoid receptors. Coffee and speed also have nothing to do with each other, all this thread. I’ve been here writing posts supporting the legalization of cannabis for a lot longer than you!

 

Hopefully it can be shown these synthetics are used primarily as a cannabis alternative, because the law makes organic cannabis hard to obtain. Since organic cannabis has far less side effects, once again it would prove that prohibition creates more harm than the drug its actually trying to prohibit

 

Peace

[Jason Riley]

Well I took the survey, and I've nott even had a chance to try the Synthetics.

 

The local 'Happy Herb' store at Glenelg used to have Puff Gold, but at $75 for a few grams, there's no way I was willing to spend real money on a tiny amount of 'mix' that might not work at all.

 

a half-ounce of the real thing is only $100, and I know that'll work.

[mjbarratt]

Thanks for posting jabez. I'm the researcher running the study so am happy to answer any of your questions. And thanks to those of you who have already completed the survey!

 

NB. even if you can't stand synthetics and/or have never used them, you can still answer the questions about how you think synthetic cannabinoids should be treated by the law and about why you have *not* used them.

 

Hopefully it can be shown these synthetics are used primarily as a cannabis alternative, because the law makes organic cannabis hard to obtain. Since organic cannabis has far less side effects, once again it would prove that prohibition creates more harm than the drug its actually trying to prohibit.

 

While I can't preempt the results, I can say that this is the primary rationale for doing the study. We want to better understand the relationship between use of synthetic cannabinoids and use of cannabis proper - and how the law fits into this picture. Would we even be having this discussion around Kronic etc if cannabis were regulated/legal? Probably not, so we may be able to say that one of the unintended negative consequences of prohibition of cannabis is the proliferation of 'substitutes' proporting to be legal which are quite likely to be more harmful than cannabis proper. (I don't think we have enough data to say categorically which drug is more likely to cause harm, but it's obvious that cannabis has been used for 1000s of years and we have done a lot of research whereas the synthetics are much less well-known to science.)

[MongyMan]

....these synthetics are used primarily as a cannabis alternative, because the law makes organic cannabis hard to obtain. Since organic cannabis has far less side effects, once again it would prove that prohibition creates more harm than the drug its actually trying to prohibit

 

Peace

 

 

My thoughts exactly jabez.....

Seriously who in their right mind would be risking their health and smoking that crap if there is real buds in the bowl......

 

Peace MongyMan

[Frazz]

yea the link these chemicals have with Cannabis is that they are kinda reverse-engineered psychoactive substance based on Cannabis, but made by man

and as such their pros and cons should get a thorough airing and debate, and who better to debate it than OzStoners whose lives are intertwined with Cannabis Culture

 

its no good saying i dont like it ... go away, and sticking our head in the sand

research and discussion with ones peers can be ever so enlightening

if we can leave our personnel bias out, so much the better

 

[bufo marinus]

Good thread

I answered the survey