Almost one-third of the cocaine seized in the United States is tainted with the livestock deworming medication levamisole, according to Drug Enforcement Administration documents the Associated Press received.
Levamisole, which can give users a more intense high, weakens the immune system, and has killed at least three people and sickened 100 in Canada and the United States. What’s more, physicians remain largely unaware of the tainted drugs, leaving them helpless to diagnose or treat those affected. “I would think it would be fair to say the vast majority of doctors in the United States have no idea this is going on,” said Eric Lavonas, assistant director of the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center in Denver, where as much as half of the cocaine is believed to contain levamisole. “You can’t diagnose a disease you’ve never heard of” [Associated Press].
Because of the particular distribution mechanism of cocaine, it may be difficult to get the warning out to people at risk. “It’s not like you can put [a warning] on the bottle” [Associated Press], says Lavonas.
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September 1st, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Mmmm, drugs are baaaad, mmmmkay?
September 1st, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Problems such as this will disappear once we legalize and regulate ‘recreational’ drugs. Hasn’t anyone in recent times read about the dismal failure of the 18th amendment back in the 20s? Our government’s so called war on drugs is exactly the same thing except the law was legislated rather than created by an amendment. Both were religiously motivated, not driven by common sense. Every religious law, amendment, or proposed amendment that I can think of removes or limits individual rights rather than attempting to control a problem.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
could one then extrapolate that 30% of US currency contains levamisole, since 90% contains cocaine?
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I wish that was the only thing they cut it with. There’s a reason the price hasn’t gone up in 20 years. As for legalization, why would the people making money from prohibition relinquish their control? People who are primarily motivated by money aren’t moved by ethical arguments. A bloated prison system and a generation of crack babies born to fill it means as much to them as a grain of sand in the desert.
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Oh no! Our cocaine is tainted? Isn’t it already basically poison? : /
September 24th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I’m not sure I see the problem here. If it reduces the dregs of society, perhaps we can then put the focus on real problems such as Cancer, Aids, Child Starvation, etc., people that have real problems. I have no remorse for people that bring drugs and the after effects onto themselves! Life is about the choices you make.