LEGAL HIGHS
The Incentive: Because of the associated dangers of the traditional illegal party drugs, such as cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy, i.e. the fact that you can get seriously abused by the law for having, or imbibing them, many young people are instead turning to a wide range of new, legally available, drug alternatives. Some of these are naturally occurring plants and some are man-made chemicals. Some are a combination of naturally occurring plant enhanced with man-made chemicals.
For Better Or Worse? Because some of the legal alternatives are fairly new and untested, no one currently knows what the long term effects are. In fact we know much less about some of the new legally available drugs than we do about the traditional illegal ones. Consequently, experts have currently expressed concern and have admitted that people may be worse off taking some of the new legal drugs than some of the old illegal ones, which we know and understand.
The Crucial Factor: With some drugs, just as with alcohol, there are no real problems if used sensibly, and although red category drugs, such as crack, smack, meth and tobacco, are dangerously addictive and should be avoided at all costs, some currently illegal drugs are not so bad, and can be sensibly enjoyed without serious consequences. Many of us dabble with alcohol but we don't all become alcoholic. As with everything in life, it is how you use something that is the crucial factor.
The Right: Whatever the case, it is a fact that mankind has an inherent urge to experiment with such things in life and has done since time began. It is also a fact that if such experiences can be undertaken in relative safety, there is no reason why people shouldn't have the right to them! It is very apparent that many people want to have their say in these areas and yet society, as yet, has failed to address this issue adequately. People should be entitled to the right to make up their own mind and that right is God-given! It should therefore not be taken away by men. Not everybody is bothered, but many are. However, until the day comes when there are no such thing as illegal drugs, and people are no longer persecuted by the law, many see turning to the new legal ones as a compromise and a way of avoiding confrontation.
Legal Does Not Mean Safe! Many people subconsciously think and expect that if a drug is legal, it is somehow safe. However, looking at the demons in alcohol and tobacco, as well as certain prescription drugs over the years, we can see that this is simply not the case. There are demons in all such things. But it is a question of how bad they are. Some drugs are ok in proportion and some are not. We have a very good understanding of the old drugs, much of it learnt the hard way at the expense of many people, however, we cannot say the same about some of the new ones! The fact that it is legal, doesn't necessarily mean that it is safe or a good thing! It may just mean that we don't know enough about it yet and that someone has sneaked it passed the politicians, without them noticing. No doubt as soon as they realise that people are enjoying themselves, they'll ban it, or tax it - whatever it is!
The Experience Goes On! There is always a price to pay and a sacrifice to be made by people on the verge of exploring new frontiers, and there is always cost in everything we do. We try and eradicate the dangers and limit the cost, but we do not generally deny ourselves the experience. We have to explore! It's in our nature. The people that lead the way often pave the road with their sacrifice and lessons learnt so that the rest of us can follow on in relative safety. This is how we populated the world and how we built the understanding that we have today. Our purpose in life is to explore and experience. It is the thing that we live for and that drives us on. We hope the experience, overall, is a good one, and we must use our knowledge and our common sense in order to try and avoid the pitfalls and make it so.