Decriminalizing Drugs in Portugal a Success. Pop quiz: Which European country has the most liberal drug laws?
(Hint: It's not the Netherlands.) Although its capital is notorious among stoners and college kids for marijuana haze–filled "coffee shops," Holland has never actually legalized cannabis — the Dutch simply don't enforce their laws against the shops. The correct answer is Portugal, which in 2001 became the first European country to officially abolish all criminal penalties for personal possession of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
At the recommendation of a national commission charged with addressing Portugal's drug problem, jail time was replaced with the offer of therapy. The argument was that the fear of prison drives addicts underground and that incarceration is more expensive than treatment — so why not give drug addicts health services instead? Salema porgy. Sarpa salpa, known commonly as the Salema porgy, is a species of sea bream, recognisable by the golden stripes that run down the length of its body, and which can cause hallucinations when eaten.[1] It is relatively common off the coasts of South Africa, Tenerife, Malta and Cyprus, but has occasionally been found as far north as Great Britain.[1] Males are typically 15 cm (6 in) to 30 cm (12 in) in length, while females are usually 31 cm (12 in) to 45 cm (18 in).[2] Sarpa salpa was reportedly consumed as a recreational drug during the time of the Roman Empire.[3] The fish became widely known for its psychoactivity following widely publicized articles in 2006, when two men ingested it at a Mediterranean restaurant and began to experience many auditory and visual hallucinogenic effects.[3] These hallucinations, described as frightening, were reported to have occurred minutes after the fish was ingested and had a total duration of 36 hours.
The Most Addictive Drugs in the World. Many people think that heroin is the most addictive drug in the world.
The truth is, that although heroin is one of the most dangerous drugs in the world, it is NOT the most addictive. You may be surprised to learn that some of the drugs the experts have found to be most addictive are actually legal. The most addictive drugs Nicotine. Although studies vary, it is generally believed that over 30% of those individuals who use nicotine for a period of time become addicted. Most consumed alcoholic beverages per country. End the Ban on Psychoactive Drug Research. Discovery of new psychiatric medication, whether for the treatment of depression, autism or schizophrenia, is at a virtual standstill.
As just one example, the antidepressants on the market today are no more effective at reversing the mood disorder than those that first became available in the 1950s. New thinking is desperately needed to aid the estimated 14 million American adults who suffer from severe mental illness. Innovation would likely accelerate if pharmacologists did not have to confront an antiquated legal framework that, in effect, declares off-limits a set of familiar compounds that could potentially serve as the chemical basis for entire new classes of drugs.
LSD, ecstasy (MDMA), psilocybin and marijuana have, for decades, been designated as drugs of abuse. But they had their origins in the medical pharmacopeia. Minimum Legal Drinking Ages around the World. The minimum legal drinking age varies dramatically around the world.
Most such laws apply only to drinking alcoholic beverages in public locations. The only country with a minimum legal age for consuming alcohol at home is the United Kingdom, which prohibits drinking below the age of six. The average (mean) minimum legal drinking age around the globe is 15.9. Effects of Drugs on Spider Webs. Microscopic Images of Alcoholic Drinks. All of these impressive photos of alcoholic beverages under a microscope uncover the elements that make up some of our preferred tipples.
Similar to photos of snowflakes, each and every beverage is unique, while observed below when zoomed about 1, 000 times under a high tech lab microscope. Created by United States company Bevshots, these are available as artworks for potential buyers which recognize the concealed beauty of alcoholic beverages. Catching the small elements that define most popular drinks such as vodka, pina colada and Chablis.
"What you can see in the magnified pictures are the crystalised carbohydrates that have become sugars and glucose, " described Lester Hutt, 35, the founder of Bevshots. Piña colada, vodka, tequila y otras bebidas vistas con el microscopio. Anxiety and sleeping pills 'linked to dementia' 9 September 2014Last updated at 22:21 ET By Helen Briggs Health editor, BBC News website The class of drugs known as benzodiazepines is mainly used to treat anxiety or insomnia Long-term use of pills for anxiety and sleep problems may be linked to Alzheimer's, research suggests.
A study of older Canadian adults found that past benzodiazepine use for three months or more was linked to an increased risk (up to 51%) of dementia. NHS guidelines say the drugs should be used for eight to 12 weeks at most. The French-Canadian team says while the link is not definitive, it is another warning that treatments should not exceed three months. 6 Animals That Can Get You High. Most human beings are inexplicably drawn to at least some measure of mind-altering substances, from your grandmother sipping her soothingly-caffeinated tea to the dude in Under Armour sweatpants puking out rivers of beer in front of your apartment building at seven o'clock on a Sunday morning.
However, only the few, the visionaries, look at passing wildlife and think, "Hey, I wonder if that creature can get me wasted? Let's lick it and find out. " The sad part? Those guys are often rewarded for their efforts, by animals like... Colorado River Toad. Description[edit] Range of Incilius alvarius in the United States (it also inhabits northwest Mexico) The Colorado River toad can grow to about 7.5 inches (190 mm) long and is the largest toad in the United States apart from the non-native cane toad (Rhinella marina).
It has a smooth, leathery skin and is olive green or mottled brown in color. A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory. Magic Mushrooms may have Cure for Depression.