Illegal Drugs and Anthrax

[RPM]

So ... a significant proportion of illegal opiates (heroin, opium etc.) comes out of central Asia - places like Afghanistan. The illegal drug market is also extremely good at getting their product into the USA.

I'm sure it's been considered by the Al Qaeda - they've been in the drug and biological weapons business for years. I wonder how we as a nation would respond to the two illegal, white/brown powdery substances being mixed here?

Maybe this idea should be publicized to cut down on illegal drug abuse in the US?

Patrick

 

[DrDan]

Horrible idea!

It might be your kid that dies of anthrax.

DrDan

 

[ERNIEB]

Patrick, I'm not sure if I understand what your saying.
It is my understanding that the Taliban put a halt to the growing of poppies, even though it was Afganistans largest cash crop.
I'm not all that familar with the processing of opiates, but I would think the refining takes place in another country. Most of the cutting down process takes place in North America. It's been awhile back, but when I was In Viet Nam, Heroin was about 90-95% pure. At the same time here in the US strrets, it was about 10-15%.
I doubt Al Qaeda would even be interested in bumping off the type of people who use heroin. I also doubt it would cause much consernation to the average working American.
Now powdered cocaine would be a different story. Snorted right into the nose, used by the rich and famous.

Ernie

 

[gws]

Is having anthrax illegal?

Gary.

 

[RPM]

DrDan,

I think you misinterpreted me (or perhaps I didn't do a good job of communicating).

All I was saying was - I wouldn't put it past the Taleban to mix anthrax with some of their drug harvest and then sell it on to some criminal group in the US via whatever middlemen. Maybe the fear of this would have a positive consequence of reducing illegal drug use.

I agree with you that it could impact anybody indirectly - but the Taleban wouldn't be too worried about that.

Sorry if I wasn't clear first go around.

Patrick

 

[RPM]

Ernieb,

Well, regarding Heroin being cut on the streets ... apparently nowadays it is very pure when it hits the US. This accounts for heroin now being snorted instead of injected by many users. Apparently the biggest marketing problem the heroin producers had was the use of a needle ... so now you don't need it.

I did read that poppy production was cut in Afghanistan - but who knows how true that is? I also heard that we were trying to locate the supposed huge warehouses of Opium that were still in Afghanistan to destroy them.

I guess the purpose of terroristic attacks is to undermine our sense of security - so any broad target would be justifiable to the Taleban if it serves that purpose. The delivery mechanism also seems to be key. Who would have thought that a terrorist incident in New York would have had the whole country in a panic? I wonder how much of that is due to the fact that it involved airplanes - and that it could be imagined anywhere? (That's an open question). Same deal with Anthrax being delivered by letter.

Patrick

 

[RPM]

Re: Is having anthrax illegal?

It probably is not - unless there is some legislation I don't know about (it may be generally classified somewhere as a biological weapon or a weapon of mass destruction). On the other hand - if you have anthrax in your posession and can't show that you are storing it safely then I'm sure you would end up in the big house on charges of recklessly endangering public health or some such thing.

I guess there's just no reason why any sane person/organization other than a pharmaceutical company or a vet school would (or the military) would have any reason to posess any.

Patrick

 

[cowboydoc]

RPM,
I'm almost positive that all of that is illegal. It's use and distribution even for research is highly monitored. It's no difference than having prescription drugs that aren't written for you specifically.

 

[RPM]

Thanks cowboydoc - that's reassuring to hear in these times.

 

[Bird]

That's something I've wondered about. Where in the world would anyone come up with Anthrax spores? It's hard for me to imagine why anyone other than a government or terrorist would want it, and hard to imagine an individual being able to obtain it, if they did want it. I just don't understand how anyone could get it, but then I guess anything's possible with enough money.

Bird