Don’t do this at home!

A commentary for the Nature Journal Article
Legal highs: the dark side of medicinal chemistry
David Nichols
Published online 5 January 2011
Nature 469, 7 (2011)
doi:10.1038/469007a

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110105/full/469007a.html

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Ever wonder where that intense, sour smell comes from? Well, it can just be someone making drugs in the neighbourhood! You have definitely seen this in films, and the scenario is indeed true – some ‘undercover chemists’ do synthesize drugs for illegal purposes. Evert heard of the ‘red, white and blue processes? Governments have taken measures to counteract against these unspeakable ingenuities: that is why common people cannot buy some of the the possible chemical precursors (in the form of tablets) in the Pharmacy or they need strict prescription. Yet the irony is down to the fact the bad guys are often wise (and vice) and they can then come up with other different synthetic routes – that depends on whether they have the chemistry brain, or with a novel production method. This is going to be a long war.
So, even I can convince you that you can make barbiturate in your kitchen with the correct chemical starting materials, a saucepan, a sealed pack of ice and an edition of Vogel, this type of adventure is extremely dangerous and illegal. Just don’t do this at home!

P.S. Love the title ‘Legal HIGHS’.