Meant to post this a couple days ago

[keco52]

Cocaine is one of the most used illegal substances. So much so that cocaine "cut" with byproducts is rampant and in a new report, it seems that cocaine is now being diluted from its pure form with levamisole, a cheap and widely available drug used to deworm livestock. Considering the rampant use, this could result in a tremendous health epidemic in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Justice has reported that up to 70% of cocaine in the United States is contaminated with levamisole. Once prescribed for humans, the drug was discontinued after patients who took the drug developed skin conditions similar to the cocaine users.

The new report states that patients in Los Angeles and New York who smoked or snorted cocaine diluted with the veterinary drug developed serious skin reactions.

Six patients developed patches of purple necrotic skin on their ears, nose and cheeks, as well as other parts of their body, and in some instances, the cocaine users suffered permanent scarring as a result of using the tainted drug.

Dr. Noah Craft, of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center said:

"We believe these cases of skin reactions and illnesses linked to contaminated cocaine are just the tip of the iceberg in a looming public health problem posed by levamisole." ​

Levamisole is now found in 70% of all cocaine seized in the U.S., up from 30% in 2008. Unlike most cuts, usually inert or relatively harmless substances like the B vitamin inositol, which are added by lower-level dealers looking to stretch supplies, levamisole appears to be added to cocaine from the outset, in the countries of origin.

The substance has been found in various concentrations in cocaine analyzed in countries around the world, from Switzerland to Australia. And urine tests of cocaine users attending a drug clinic at San Francisco General Hospital in 2009 found that 90% of samples were positive for levamisole; similar tests in Seattle revealed that 80% of cocaine users there had levamisole in their systems.

Initially baffled by the severity of the skin damage, Craft added that the report was published to increase awareness about these skin reactions, which could be misdiagnosed as vasculitis (a rare blood vessel autoimmune disorder), and to educate both the public and health professionals about the additional risks associated with cocaine use.

Levamisole is cheap, widely available and seems to have the right look, taste and melting point to go unnoticed by cocaine users, which may alone account for its popularity.

Levamisole also affects acetylcholine receptors throughout the body, which can boost heart rate, and studies of cocaine users show that they associate jumps in heart rate with getting high, spurring good feelings even before the drug hits the brain. A cut that accelerates heart rate might make them think they're getting the real thing.

In the brain, levamisole may affect the same acetylcholine receptors activated by nicotine, another addictive drug that raises dopamine levels which may be another clue to levamisole's lure.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/229485.php

 

[S O F I]

I read about this a few months ago. It's scary.

Here's a much better article on it with everything you need to know and also provides directions for creating a test kit that determines if your coke has levamisole in it:

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/...e-the-levamisole-test-kit/Content?oid=5465916

Here are results of a test done on samples from the seattle area:

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/11/18/cocaine-levamisole-test-kit-results-first-drop

Damn, 85% of the coke tested was contaminated with the shit.

 

[keco52]

Yeah, I just grabbed the first article I saw. That's not the one I read. I'm tired...slept like 3 hours. I'm just now hip to whatever drug they're selling as bath salt.

In other news one of my friends had to use his gun on a would-be robber and he is blowing up all the CCW forums. I was going to ask everyones stance on this. Does it need it's own thread? Seeing as how shit from months ago is still on page 1 I don't see why we can't have 2 simultaneous discussions in here. Maybe not? I'm too lazy.

 

[Casey]

I've long said that weed and coke should both be legalized for both tax and purity reasons. Regulate that shit and at least you can be sure what you're getting.

A couple of years ago, a lot of the weed here in the UK was getting mixed with glass dust. Yep. Started cutting up people's lungs and shit. Fucked up.

 

[_carmi]

That sucks. Weed should be legalized. Not sure about cocaine though.

 

[Prize Gotti]

I've long said that weed and coke should both be legalized for both tax and purity reasons. Regulate that shit and at least you can be sure what you're getting.

A couple of years ago, a lot of the weed here in the UK was getting mixed with glass dust. Yep. Started cutting up people's lungs and shit. Fucked up.

Yeah, "Grit Weed". The worst case was in Wales where they laced it with that shit you get when you buy a new pair of shoes, you know that little white sachet with "Toxic" written all over it. That shit is deadly.

 

[Pittsey]

^^

silica gel

It's as bad for your lungs as asbestos. We get H&S warnings about it all the time.

 

[Casey]

Yeah, "Grit Weed". The worst case was in Wales where they laced it with that shit you get when you buy a new pair of shoes, you know that little white sachet with "Toxic" written all over it. That shit is deadly.

Ugh. I hd grit weed and never bought from that guy again. I had rolled a spliff and when I was touching the weed something just didn't feel right. Licked my finger and the residues was fucking crunchy. Threw it out. That same week I heard from someone that grit weed was going around Handsworth. Fucked up.

 

[Ristol]

A couple of years ago, a lot of the weed here in the UK was getting mixed with glass dust. Yep. Started cutting up people's lungs and shit. Fucked up.

That's horrific.

 

[ArtsyGirl]

Good, I needed another reason not to use Cocaine.

And why would people tamper with Weed, seriously.

 

[Jokerman]

I'm glad I avoided the coke game and went with sprite instead.

 

[UK_Thug]

A couple of years ago, a lot of the weed here in the UK was getting mixed with glass dust. Yep. Started cutting up people's lungs and shit. Fucked up.

I remember that shit.. Ive still got old baggies lying around that have a sandy/glassy coating on the inside

 

[Casey]

http://www.gritweed.co.uk/gritweed.htm

What is Gritweed ?

'Grit Weed' has become the colloquial name for a general form of contaminated herbal cannabis that has been treated with a variety of unknown sand / grit like substances which appear to have been added to the plant prior to harvest in order to increase the weight of the plant’s yield.

The first reports of this so called gritweed in the UK dates back to Spring / Summer 2006 when a handful of localized cases were identified. Since then the supply of this contaminated "skunk" appears to have increased dramatically, infiltrating all levels of the supply chain throughout the British Isles. Regular cannabis users now report that this gritweed is predominantly the only type of herbal cannabis available to them - a situation that many feel is a direct result of the police's recent wave of crackdowns on UK based cannabis growers which has had a marked effect on both the levels and quality of supply.

Currently it seems there are four main types of contaminant grit-weeds flooding the UK market, these are:

- Large Glass Particle Contamination
- Industrial Etchant Spray Contamination
- Sugar or Sand Contamination
- Micro Contaminants (stealth grit)

Unconfirmed reports suggest that smoking cannabis that is contaminated with any of the above has been linked with complaints by users of sore mouth, mouth ulcers, chesty persistent coughs, and a tight chest lasting a few days after use.

Fortunately, identifying most of the contaminated gritweed varieties is fairly straightforward. In most cases the weed will, at a glance, look of a good standard but it will not smell very strong at all. On further inspection the gritweed may seem like it is covered in what looks like THC crystals however these could be the contaminant glass / silica particles so a more detailed examination is required.

The surest method seems to involve testing the weed by placing a very small amount in your mouth and running it over your teeth / tongue. If you feel a gritty sand like residue when you clench your teeth together then chances are you are dealing with gritweed (probably the silica or road paint contaminant variety). If you don't feel any grit-like substance between your teeth but the weed tastes very sweet (sugary) then chances are it has been dusted with sugar to bulk out the weight.

Please note that the above 'grit test' will not work with the new wave of so called micro comtanimants as these are undetectable without the use of a standard microscope. To date we are unaware of any other method to test for these new forms of micro contaminant gritweeds apart from a detailed microscopic analysis.

If you suspect that you have acquired some grit-weed then we strongly advise that you cease smoking it immediately as it is a potential serious health risk. For further information please read our summary of health implications or the UK Department of Health news release.

 

[Prize Gotti]

And why would people tamper with Weed, seriously.

It adds weight. We had a good supply of weed in the UK for quite some time, then the police busted the 3 main suppliers in the UK. Only way to get it in the country was from poor sources, who would add weight to make a profit. I haven't had a "real" 8th of weed in a couple of years. An 8th is 3.5g. Most dealers now sell 8ths between 2-3g, and on occasion, for more money.

The weed quality has gotten some what better recently, but the weights are still fucked up.

 

[ArtsyGirl]

But to add glass? Surely there are better ways.

 

[S O F I]

That is so sad. Good/medicinal weed is ubiquitous here. I don't know bammer.

 

[Prize Gotti]

But to add glass? Surely there are better ways.

But are those ways cheaper? I doubt it.

 

[Flipmo]

Governments are stupid. Legalize the shit. I'm not even a smoker and I know that this is a no brainer. Nothing but good can arise from it.

 

[Prize Gotti]

Governments are stupid. Legalize the shit. I'm not even a smoker and I know that this is a no brainer. Nothing, but good can arise from it.

Agreed, I've never understood the reasoning as to why Weed is illegal when we have more harmful substances legalized.