Fear mongering article I found about etizolam

This article is old but I just read it and thought I should share how completely idiotic this news story is. Of course etizolam can be addictive and dangerous if you black out but some of the things said in this "news" story just piss me off. Here's the story:

(CBS) -- A drug legal to take, and used for date rape, is in the cross hairs of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It also has a local mom speaking out to CBS 2's Dave Savini in order to help others.

It is called Etizolam and is considered a research drug. The way it is manufactured keeps it off the list of drugs illegal to sell, even though it can be dangerous.

A Chicago area mom, who does not want her name used, wants to expose this drug she says she found her son using and hiding inside of a book cut in the middle to conceal the drugs.

"I'm worried because it's so easy to get," the mother says. "He ordered 10 boxes online."

Etizolam is one molecule short of being labeled a benzodiazepine drug like Xanax or Valium. It is in a group of drugs called research chemicals, which are legal to take. Federal authorities say this drug is trending on the street, and they are seeing it being shipped into this country more frequently.

Pills are being seized and destroyed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at O'Hare International Airport because the drugs are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Customs Agent Brian Bell says.

"It's incredibly dangerous," he says. "It hasn't been tested. There have been cases where it's linked to respiratory failure, heart failure, seizures. Why somebody would want to put this in their body is absolutely beyond me."

The Etizolam shipments are coming from India and going to U.S. website owners who buy them for pennies a pill, then sell them for a huge profit.

The danger is real says the Naperville mom, whose son is now in rehab.

"He had a seizure," she said. "It was almost 10 minutes long."

Drug users are taking Etizolam, and other research chemicals, because they do not show up on drug tests. There is another reason, explained Jack Riley, who heads the Chicago office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

"Right now, it's not illegal, and I think that's the big issue," Riley says.

Riley says Etizolam also is being used as a date-rape drug because it lowers inhibitions and creates an amnesia-like affect.

"That's why we got to do something very quickly here at the local and state level, and then move on to federal legislation," Riley says.

He appreciates the Naperville mother for telling her story.

"She's a hero. We need more like her," said Riley. "Otherwise, it kind of stays below the surface."

There are proposals pending to ban Etizolam in 2 other states. A federal ban requires an act of Congress and that could take years.

Source: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/09/18/2-investigators-legal-narcotic-has-caught-feds-attention/

So here's what pissed me off the most in this bullshit article. They start off by saying etizolam is a date rape drug. Sure it can be used for that purpose, but there's one date rape drug that's easy to get and socially acceptable in our society that never seems to get called a date rape drug by the media - ALCOHOL. Then this paragraph - "It's incredibly dangerous," he says. "It hasn't been tested. There have been cases where it's linked to respiratory failure, heart failure, seizures. Why somebody would want to put this in their body is absolutely beyond me."

Etizolam is not incredibly dangerous. It actually has been tested as it is a prescription drug in some countries and is shown to be safer than benzodiazepines as well as having less potential for physical dependance. Brian Bell you are a dumbass. Etizolam does not cause seizures, it would actually prevent them. Unless of course someone is withdrawing from etizolam, but you failed to mention that that is the only way etizolam could cause a seizure. As for the part about respiratory failure and heart failure, I've accidentally blacked out on etizolam many times(and have learned my lesson by now) and I'm always fine after it wears off, even in combination with alcohol. I also know many people who have passed out from mixing etizolam and alcohol but they're always fine after they sleep it off. I even know someone who consumed 200mg of etizolam over a two day period. He's a drug addict who makes some very dumb decisions but he did not suffer any physical harm from doing that. However, I'm not downplaying the dangers of blacking out on etizolam or benzos as blacking out can get you into some potentially life threatening situations. The only way I can see someone having respiratory or heart failure from etizolam is in combination with opiates - which the article fails to mention.

He appreciates the Naperville mother for telling her story. "She's a hero. ( A hero???) We need more like her," said Riley. "Otherwise, it kind of stays below the surface." - Okay so from the mothers side I can see how it's very upsetting to see her son addicted to etizolam, but making etizolam illegal isn't going to solve anything. I personally believe decriminalization of all drugs is the way to go. Just recently I read that Hawaii is considering becoming the first U.S state to decriminalize all drugs. This would be a huge leap forward in drug policy since as far as I know Portugal is the only place that has done this so far. So anyway, I just wanted to vent my frustration at such stupid articles and CBS doesn't allow anyone to comment on their bullshit stories (Hmmm I wonder why?....) Let's hope that Hawaii decriminalizes drugs because if that proved to be a success in a U.S state it would truly put an end to anyone being able to claim that harsh drug laws are the way to go.

Brian Bell, if you read this I hope you can understand why I called you a dumbass, and I truly hope that you can become a more intelligent person free of such ignorance. /end rant time to get high and chill out.


Comments


[1 Points] None:

[deleted]


[1 Points] FrozenMCVegetableCok:

For every asshat using Etizolam for evil shit, there are several using it to treat insomnia, anxiety, and depression to some extent.

You could substitute any inebriating substance for Etizolam in the same news story, and the mugshots would still be the exact same creepy fuckers.


[0 Points] drugs_4_sale:

This comment has been overwritten by an open source script to protect this user's privacy. It was created to help protect users from doxing, stalking, and harassment.

If you would also like to protect yourself, add the Chrome extension TamperMonkey, or the Firefox extension GreaseMonkey and add this open source script.

Then simply click on your username on Reddit, go to the comments tab, scroll down as far as possibe (hint:use RES), and hit the new OVERWRITE button at the top.

Also, please consider using Voat.co as an alternative to Reddit as Voat does not censor political content.


[0 Points] Devoid_:

All my friends that have touched it have crashed their cars and lost their jobs. It's pretty fucked up shit and the powder is probably one of the easiest available date rape drugs if you were looking for one


[-9 Points] None:

[deleted]