The internet has brought many improvements to the lives of people around the world. It has made communication much easier, and it means that users can find out about almost any subject imaginable without having to spend any money for this information. The internet has set knowledge free, but there are some downsides to this technology as well. One real concern is that it has made it easier to share dangerous information; one powerful example of this is drug recipes.
Jail Time for Online Drug Recipe Makers
A couple in Guernsey were sent to prison recently charged with producing methamphetamine using a recipe they had found online. They were able to make crystal meth by following this recipe even though the procedure is highly dangerous. Anyone who has ever watched the TV series Breaking Bad will understand how dangerous producing this drug can be; it was being made in the couple’s flat.
The recipe of many types of drug is relatively easily to find online and methamphetamine is one of the most sought after. Many of the instructions do not actually work as is claimed, but the mixtures can still be highly dangerous – often even more dangerous than the drugs that are trying to be created. The recipe the couple in Guernsey were following did work, but there are no reports of the quality of the meth they created.
Is Home Brew Drugs a Growing Trend?
The idea of an increasing number of people making their own drugs at home using online recipes is worrying. The information is there for those who know where to look, and there seems to be no effective way to stop these recipes getting into the wrong hands. Even if authorities close down websites where the information is found, there is nothing to really stop new websites popping up. There is also the problem that this information is already in the hands of many people.
The arrest of the couple in Guernsey should send a strong message to anyone else who is considering doing the same. There can be serious consequences for this type of activity and being sent to jail for a few years might not be the worst of it; there will almost certainly be fatalities due to the consumption of these home brew drugs.
Another popular ‘home’ trend at the moment is for websites to provide information on how to get a bigger hit out of prescription drugs. This can include showing how to remove opiate medication or sedatives from capsules and snorting the powder for an increased effect. Using prescription drugs any other way than how they have been prescribed is a dangerous game, and anyone who follows the advice on these websites will be taking a huge risk. It is important to keep in mind that increasing the effect of a prescription drug usually increases the risk of damage to your health.
Online Drug Threats
The internet has become one of the major battlegrounds in the attempt to reduce the dangers of substance abuse. This modern technology has made dealing with illegal drug use much harder than it ever was in the past. The biggest risk in recent years has been the sale of ‘legal highs‘ online, but it could be that the do-it-yourself drug craze could soon become the area of most concern. There are no easy answers for how to eliminate this risk, so the best response may be to warn people of the dangers they will be putting themselves in by using online drug recipes.