UK - designer drugs in the U.K?

[dr ACE]

is there an analogue law in the U.K,of any kind?
or is it just all of Pihkal & Tihkals entries?
is it just a case of once the; *insert drug here* becomes a problem or is consider of any recreational value ,and idiots start abusing said substance and A&E incidents become lethal. Is it then that the laws are amended to include analogues of currently listed 'illegal' substances

[Sky Walker]

Originally Posted by dr ACE

is there an analogue law in the U.K,of any kind?

As far as I am aware, in the U.K we do not have an analogue act. Substances will only become illegal;

Originally Posted by dr ACE

once the; *insert drug here* becomes a problem or is consider of any recreational value ,and idiots start abusing said substance and A&E incidents become lethal.

[chrisn]

I posted the following in another thread about the UK law on research chems:

I have looked at the UK drug scheduling system and here is what I have been able to determine using my limited chemistry knowledge, as they have an analogue law of sorts which greatly complicates things (view it here: http://www.ixion.demon.co.uk/class%20and%20schedule.htm)

"any compound (not being a compound for the time being specified in sub-paragraph (a) above)
structurally derived from tryptamine or from a ring-hydroxy tryptamine by substitution at the nitrogen atom of the sidechain with one or more alkyl substituents but no other substituent;"

I think that this leaves both AMT and 5-MEO-AMT as their substitution is not at the nitrogen atom, and also DALT and as you said 5-MEO-DALT, as their substitution is with allyl substituents and not alkyl.

"any compound (not being methoxyphenamine or a compound for the time being specified in sub-paragraph (a) above) structurally derived from phenylethylamine, an N-alkylphenethylamine- a - methylphenethylamine, a-ethylphenethylamine, or an N-alkyl-a-ethylphenethylamine by substitution in the ring to any extent with alkyl, alkoxy, alkylenedioxy or halide substituents, whether or not further substituted in the ring by one or more univalent substituents;"

This goes beyond my chemistry knowledge so hopefully some other DFers see this thread. People have said that Bromo-dragonfly is not covered by this, so probably the starting point for legal phenethylamines would be in an image like this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-B-FLY_SAR.png

Besides 2C-B (which is obviously illegal), the only other well-known drug there is 2C-B-FLY, which I am curious to know its legality as well.

I am guessing molecules like these will be the subject of the new PIHKAL that Shulgin is currently working on, so hopefully we learn more about these in six months or so when Shulgin's new book comes out.

Others have said that some other legal RC's include MDPV and Methylone, which I guess are not technically tryptamines or phenethylamines. This possibly indicates that some of the other bk-analogues are legal as well but I am not sure.

Reputation Comments on this post:

useful info

[Sky Walker]

And now I am further aware, cheers chrisn.

[Evil GIR]

Please dont use the Term designer drugs as this is a negative phrase made by the media to make out drugs are evil. Plus its very misleading as many of the research chemicals where never designed to produce a high in the first place.

Even shulgin the creator of many of the reseach chems, didnt sit there and think Oh yes the next drug ill make will be like acid and mushrooms mixed with a bit of mdma, I think ill call it 4-me-ow.

All the drugs are just based on the same structure which people have decided to change slighty to see what the effects are sometimes there good, otheres there bad or the drug may not do anything at all. But even then all the details of such compunds are recored noted down for the world to see and if anything intresting apperas there usualy then produced by an underground lab.

So on one goes out to produce the ultimate drug they just appear by chance through reseach and curasoty.
The 51st state is a funny and entertaining idea but this is not how these drugs are developed.

[Zaprenz]

^Not everyones use of the phrase "designer drug" suggests misunderstanding.

In fact one could argue the first 100 or more doses in human are still the "designing" phase for some drugs [The steroid THG comes to mind]. It's true before the very first synthesis the pharmacology may be completely unknown but when the drug hits the streets it may be the result of many failed minor variations of a compound.

51st state was good in some way because it showed the futility of making a drug in such a simplified idiotic way - the result a placebo.

Erowid has a good discussion on the Catch-all clause.