In an illegal, unregulated market there is no way a user can determine the content of the concoction they purchase. That is only reason, as SAMHSA asserts, “Cocaine users who unwittingly ingest the drug adulterated with a veterinary anti-parasitic medication called levamisole face the risk of death or serious illness. People don’t die as a result of shooting more and more drugs; they die because they don’t know how much of the small package of powder they are purchasing is really the drug and how much is the cutting agent, or indeed of what that cutting agent consists. Prohibition is the culprit here. When we prohibit a drug we abdicate the responsibility for controlling and regulating that drug. The more dangerous the drug the more reason there is to legalize it because nothing can be regulated and controlled when it is illegal. is the lack of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) warns. If SAMHSA really wants to reduce death, disease, crime and addiction they should join Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a 15,000 member organization of cops, judges, prosecutors, and others, in calling for an end to drug prohibition.

Mr. Cole, I assume by your endorsement of the LEAP and the use of your full name that you are in law enforcement, perhaps a police officer. I am a parole officer and I see what happends to people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. As a parole officer, I would NEVER call for the whole-sale legalization of ANY dangerous drug and I think to do so is irresponsible. What we know about kids is that if they think they have permission (from the State or their parents) to use substances, they will. Meth, in particular but others as well, is an insidious drug that hooks many people from the very first time that they use. Furthermore the legalization of drugs would make them more readily available, thereby becoming more available to younger and younger users. The trickle-down theory might not work in economics, but it certainly works with drugs, alcohol, and other criminal behavior. What we know is that if we can keep kids from using until they are 16 (18 would be better), they will probably never have an addiction problem. If we legalize all dangerous "recreational" drugs, you can be sure we will have very young addicts in no time at all. We also know is that it takes young people a tenth of the time to become addicted to chemicals than it does adults, and they are particularly resistant to tx. In order to more closely regulate adult users, you substantially increase the risk to young people. We need to consider other options.

First, you have to wonder about the motives of whoever is using this as a cutting agent. I mean, it's not like this agricultural vet drug is readily available lying around most drug dealers' homes. As for legalizing drugs to make sure of their purity - that makes no sense. For one thing, the FDA is supposed to oversee drugs with a therapeutic purpose. Other than as a topical anesthetic, cocaine doesn't have any real purpose - and certainly it doesn't when snorted. Additionally, look at all the legal drugs (Vioxx, Bectra, etc.) that had to be pulled because they proved harmful. Legality is no real guarantee of safety.

Alcohol is legal and is very dangerous to the body and mind, just imagine if cocaine was too.Do we really think it would be helpful to society?

I'm with Pete. I was hoping the article would get around to discussing the reasons this drug is being used as a cutting agent. It can't be LESS expensive or easier to obtain than the traditional choices.

Mr. Cole, For a moment lets never mind the legal aspects and just consider the health effects of the substances you propose be legalized. "Pot" is considered by many to be a benign substance, that is blatantly untrue. There are many hazardous chemicals contained in that substance, not the least of which are resins; a substance that sets up like cement in your lungs! Young people with their teeth rotting causing heart infections as a complication from using meth. Not to mention the effects of the meth on their heart. This list could go on and on. I'll bet those things are infrequently, if at all, spoken about in your LEAP circles. I see the tragedy and devastation daily. The American health system is overrun with addicted individuals who are in drastically poor health and have no means to pay for care. Albeit poorly orchestrated care, they are cared for daily, they are someones family. Right, wrong, or otherwise, the system can ill afford your suggestion. Making more horrifying substances legal could be the death of us all.

I wondered about the motive for cutting cocaine with this substance, too -- especially since it seems to have been going on for a long time: "the percentage of cocaine specimens containing levamisole has increased steadily since 2002, with levamisole now found in over 70 percent of the illicit cocaine analyzed in July." The rising use suggests there's *some* benefit, the impact on health suggests it's not to the users' benefit. Maybe it helps defeat cocaine detection equipment or dogs? Or maybe it prevents spoilage? (Does cocaine spoil?)