Scientists Retract Second Drug (Ecstasy) Study

Baltimore Sun ^ | Sept. 12 2003

[Wolfie]

Scientists retract second drug study

Mislabeled vial used again in new Ecstasy research at Johns Hopkins lab

Scientists at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have retracted a second study linking the drug Ecstasy to a certain type of brain damage - because once again, the wrong drug was given to lab animals.

Dr. Una D. McCann, a neuroscientist involved in both experiments, said a letter of retraction was sent yesterday to a medical journal, which she declined to identify until editors there decide how to handle the matter. Scientists discovered the mistake after they checked lab records to see if methamphetamine - a variety of "speed" - from a mislabeled vial used in the first experiment had been used elsewhere.

Full article.

[SupplySider]

Relegalization would reduce the following effects of the War On Some Drugs: deaths of innocents in drug-turf wars; deaths of users due to impurities or unexpectedly high potencies; enrichment of criminals; corruption of the justice system by enriched criminals; and lessened respect for the law in general. Not to mention upholding the principle that adults should be free to make their own non-rights-violating choices (even if the choices they make are stupid).

Those are good arguments for legalizing drugs. I am undecided on legalization, though. In our current licentious culture I can easily imagine a big wave of new drug use by impressionable teens. Look what happened to grade school and middle school kids after Clinton gave the stamp of approval to oral sex.

[and the horse you rode in on]

I'm hardly interested in the nanny state while you are greatly interested in barbarism that you pick up from loonytarian books you read.

You want a government to protect you and everyone else from something they should have the common sense and gumption to leave alone on their own.

What else is that but a Nanny State?

[HurkinMcGurkin]

The "selfish" argument is a trademark of liberals when putting down conservatives that do not embrace socialistic policies.

And its funny how often the "selfish" argument is used here on FR by people claiming to be "conservatives". When the drug warriors run out of hyperbole, it always end up at, "Its all about YOU and what YOU want, isn't it?. Society be dammned, right?"

[jmc813]

Those are good arguments for legalizing drugs. I am undecided on legalization, though.

So am I. I do strongly believe, though, that it should be up to the individual states to set their own drug policies.

[jmc813]

When the drug warriors run out of hyperbole, it always end up at, "Its all about YOU and what YOU want, isn't it?. Society be dammned, right?"

Darned straight. And it ain't just the drug warriors either.

[MrLeRoy]

A nation that legalizes dope is a loser nation.

Is a nation that legalizes the deadly addictive drug alcohol a loser nation?

Many bad things will follow from such legalization. [...] Canada and Netherlands are such loser nations. Both want gay marriages and both have reamed out their militaries. The legalized dope attitude infects other public policy.

Cuba, China, and Sweden are tough on drugs but socialist/communist.

[dennisw]

Which loonytarian tomes have inspired your FreeRepublic schtick?

[dennisw]

Interesting how China Cuba are very heavily armed and execute dope dealers. Same for Iran.

[and the horse you rode in on]

Which loonytarian tomes have inspired your FreeRepublic schtick?

What fears for the weaknesses of yourself, your family and your fellow citizens inspires you to want these laws?

They are as wrong as gun bans or alcohol prohibition.

[jmc813]

Interesting how China Cuba are very heavily armed and execute dope dealers. Same for Iran.

Should we strive to be more like them?

[MEGoody]

"How does this keep happening?"

They're scientists, doncha know. ;)

[MrLeRoy]

I can easily imagine a big wave of new drug use by impressionable teens.

Apples and oranges---two teens need no outside interaction in order to have sex.

Look what happened to grade school and middle school kids after Clinton gave the stamp of approval to oral sex.

Is there evidence that the rise in oral sex didn't begin until Clinton/Lewinski? I suspect the trend was rising even before and was unaffected by that event.

[jmc813]

They are as wrong as gun bans or alcohol prohibition.

You'd be surprised at how many drug warriors are gun-grabbers. Might I suggest a google search of the "Robert Wood Johnson Foundation".

[MEGoody]

"Not because I want to use them, but because it culls the weak from the species."

Why not just arrest them, line them up and shoot them?

[MrLeRoy]

Allowing someone to harm themself is very different from harming them.

[and the horse you rode in on]

In our current licentious culture I can easily imagine a big wave of new drug use by impressionable teens.

Think of it as Evolution in Action

[and the horse you rode in on]

"Not because I want to use them, but because it culls the weak from the species."

Why not just arrest them, line them up and shoot them?

Because we can't know which ones will prove strong enough to get clean and which ones won't.
Besides, letting them buy more drugs and kill themselves is cheaper than having a trial.

[MEGoody]

"Allowing someone to harm themself is very different from harming them."

So it isn't really about culling the weak at all. I didn't think so. :)

And by the way, people who are high (either by drugs or alcohol) can and do harm others through the things they do while high. So shooting them is better than just allowing them to take drugs until they kill themselves.

[HurkinMcGurkin]

Darned straight. And it ain't just the drug warriors either.

No, its not. All freedom-haters and busy bodies end up using it whether the topic is porn, drugs, prostitution, private sexual activities or what not.

[MEGoody]

"Because we can't know which ones will prove strong enough to get clean and which ones won't. Besides, letting them buy more drugs and kill themselves is cheaper than having a trial."

You're forgetting the costs to insurance companies for health issues, the cost in human lives of those who harm others while high.

I say, if we want to cull the weak, just take the out and shoot them.