If "brewing morphine may be as simple as brewing beer" - what's the point of a war on drugs?

2015-05-18T13:26:00-04:00

From "The Associated Press"

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_HOMEMADE_MORPHINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-05-18-12-34-58

Discovery opens door for homemade morphine, painkillers

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Scientists have figured out all the steps to make morphine and similar painkillers without using opium poppies, opening the door for home-brewed drugs and even wider abuse.

While no one has yet reported making morphine in the laboratory from scratch, some experts are calling for regulations to prevent garage tinkerers from making do-it-yourself morphine, which can be converted into heroin.

Society needs to "think this through now before it becomes a reality," said bioengineer John Dueber of the University of California, Berkeley, who led a team that discovered the final missing link of the process.

Poppy plants have been farmed for centuries for opium, from which morphine is derived. The controlled substance is often used before and after surgeries to relieve severe pain.

EDITORIAL COMMENT:- Another totally unneeded "great advance" from "The Wonderful World of Science" brought to you courtesy of "Your Friendly Neighbourhood Genetic Modifier".

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made May 18 at 2015 1:35 PM

2015-05-18T13:35:38-04:00

Prohibition is not the way

Response by MSgt James Mullis made May 18 at 2015 3:20 PM

2015-05-18T15:20:29-04:00

Why not just grow poppies?

Response by SGT Anthony Rossi made May 19 at 2015 3:04 PM

2015-05-19T15:04:43-04:00

Legal or not we all know there will be people that will do it. I think the first way to address the issue is by making it socially unacceptable. When something looses it's tag of "cool" it looses it's traction. This will not solve the problem but it's a good start. Let's make it honorable to be clean, sharp, and respectful. Just my Take.