Comment by rootsudo | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rootsudo | Hacker News Reader

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Technically, Cocaine is better than heroin. Cocaine is Schedule 2, and still used for surgeries within the USA. Heroin is Schedule 1 and is not.

I understand your example, and I'm not or ever a drug user - but the opening premise is a false dichotomy.

https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Cocaine-2020...

"hat is its legal status in the United States? Cocaine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and has an accepted medical use for treatment in the United States. Cocaine hydrochloride solution (4 percent and 10 percent) is used primarily as a topical local anesthetic for the upper respiratory tract. It also is used to reduce bleeding of the mucous membranes in the mouth, throat, and nasal cavities."

Vs Heroin

https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Heroin-2020....

Heroin is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

"Its like saying cocaine is better than heroin..."

Well, it is. Legally.

Using US scheduling laws is a horrible comparison on which is 'better.' What about MJ, shrooms, lsd then?

If we're talking about which is healthier, in a controlled context of pure and knowable doses, I'd bet cocaine is worse for you.

The stress it puts on your heart and body are awful. Especially combined with alcohol (which who does a line without drinking) cocaethylene i believe it's called

Opiates cause far more overdoses, but that's mostly because of adulteration and non controlled dosing.

In this ideal world of legal and safe drugs that's my bet.

A safe dose of opiates is way less likely to cause an OD. Long term WDs and dose escalation are dangerous. And mental health issues with long term use are dangerous. But coke is just awful for you, and even worse mental health issues (mania and worse).

Heroin is more often injected versus snorted, dirty needles should also factor in. But then you also have poor quality coke with who knows what cut in. Heroin is cheaper by volume/dose, coke is much more expensive.

The examples are poor, but OPs analogy still stands. If e-cigs are to MJ/shrooms and regular cigs are to Heroin, thinking that e-cigs are less harmful is probably not 'deluded'

You missed the point, which is that it doesn't matter which is better when they're both bad. Framing it as "I'd rather kids vape instead of smoke" is the real false dichotomy here, since those are not the only two option. Again, smoking was in a downward trend until e-cig came along.

Meanwhile alcohol is worse than both and completely legal, while much safer drugs like LSD and shrooms remain illegal.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/06/25/what-is-...

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