Research Chemicals and Grey Areas

Summary: For such an innocuous sounding word, research chemicals invoke a whole range of responses from different sections of the society, especially law enforcement and the media. For those who are not familiar with the word and its connotations, research chemicals bring to their mind something related to science and laboratory experiments. We all know that scientific research is a very dynamic field, especially areas like chemical engineering. Well, in its broader sense, research chemicals are the logical outcome of any chemical engineering endeavor. 

Content: For such an innocuous sounding word, research chemicals invoke a whole range of responses from different sections of the society, especially law enforcement and the media. For those who are not familiar with the word and its connotations, research chemicals bring to their mind something related to science and laboratory experiments. We all know that scientific research is a very dynamic field, especially areas like chemical engineering. Well, in its broader sense, research chemicals are the logical outcome of any chemical engineering endeavor. 

But research chemicals in the context they are popularly perceived today are the result of applying chemical engineering to a very specific branch of chemical substances: those of the psychotropic and psychoactive nature. To put it in simpler terms, research chemicals are what you get when you apply some ingenious chemical engineering and restructuring to popular and largely illegal recreational drugs. 

With the exception of popular recreational drugs like alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, which are not even considered as real drugs, most other chemicals used for their hallucinogenic, sedative, stimulant, dissociative or psychedelic properties (the high) are considered as illegal in most parts of the world. Possession or distribution or these substances can invite prosecution is most countries. And as with any other commodity in the market economy, prohibition or restriction of a substance brings with it the inevitable black-market and grey-market activities.  

Research chemicals tap into the potential legal grey areas created by anti-recreational drug legislation. How do they do this? Anti-drug legislation in most countries usually specify a drug and define its chemical structure while prohibiting its use, as proper identification of the drug is necessary to enable prosecution of people who break the law. This presents an opportunity to enterprising individuals and companies. The law prohibits a specific drug with a specific chemical structure. So why not create a synthetic alternative to that chemical, or alter its chemical structure in such a way that it is no longer the substance specified by the law, but still retains the qualities of the drug. 

Voila! We enter the world of designer drugs, also known as research chemicals, bath salts, and even more bizarrely, plant food. They exploit loopholes in legislation which create grey areas which are largely safe for marketing of such chemicals. Marketing of research chemicals are done in a discreet way, often for purportedly different reasons, and none of the research chemicals are stated to be fit for human consumption. Whether the consumers pay heed to these “warnings” is of course, a different question altogether.  

None of these research chemicals have undergone any substantial amount of animal or human trials for potential side effects. People consuming these substances run a risk potentially greater than what they would incur while consuming the original drug. This is because with drugs like marijuana or cocaine, due to high levels of documented consumption and research, a lot of information about side effects is available. With research chemicals, one is venturing into unknown territory. 

As notable incidents of overdose and death related to research chemicals started rising, authorities took note. What then followed is a sort of cat and mouse game between drug enforcement agencies and research chemical manufacturers. In the US, this led to the DEA being granted emergency powers regulate any new chemical for a temporary period. In most countries, we see that the law is trying to catch up to the rise of newer research chemicals while manufacturers are constantly coming up with newer analogues when an existing research chemical is banned by the authorities. If one is thinking about buying research chemicals, it would be advisable to consider the risk of harmful side effects and the potential for legal trouble before any decision is made.