It can also cause amnesia and hallucinations. While not particularly addictive, the drug has a steep dose-response relationship, meaning the difference between experiencing euphoria and losing consciousness is a matter of a few drops of the clear, viscous liquid. Overdoses can result in coma and respiratory arrest, which to an unaccustomed observer may appear as if the affected person has only fallen asleep.
GHB overdoses surged in the United States during the s. By , this number was nearing 5, In reacting to the growing crisis, Congress passed the Hillory J. But unlike GHB, both chemicals have widespread use in industrial manufacturing, which prevents them from being regulated as controlled substances. Even so, under the new law, the sale and distribution of either GBL or BDO could result in criminal prosecution if the seller knew the buyer would consume the chemical.
After the federal government targeted GHB, reports of its use began to fall. By , poison control centers in the U. During that same period, online retail grew to offer new avenues for buying and selling GHB and its analogues under the guise of legitimate business.
In , in its first major action against the sale of GHB, codenamed Operation Webslinger, federal agents busted four drug-trafficking rings that had used the internet to connect with buyers.
One of these operations, a mother-son team in Missouri, was accused of setting up a limited liability company called Miracle Cleaning Products to deal BDO online.
Through their business, the duo could legally purchase the chemical in bulk from two U. Ultimately, the court sentenced the mother to 14 years in federal prison and the son to more than eight years. In addition to establishing the national sex offender registry, the law made it illegal to use the internet to sell GHB or its analogues to any person without a legal prescription to use the drug or any business not authorized to handle the chemical.
Anyone convicted of using the internet to sell these compounds to unauthorized buyers could face a fine and 20 years imprisonment. The new law also authorized the attorney general to develop regulations for record-keeping and reporting by anyone handling BDO. To date, the Department of Justice has not established these requirements. A spokesperson for the U. Drug Enforcement Administration, which is part of the DOJ, told NBC News the it "has not promulgated any regulations that were authorized but not required by legislation," adding that "1,4-butanediol is produced in large volumes for a multitude of legitimate industrial uses, none of which are intended for human consumption.
Last month, federal agents raided Right Price Chemicals , a wholesaler in Texas, and arrested nine individuals who were accused of distributing BDO for human consumption beginning in According to the DOJ, the defendants had used the internet to sell the compound to buyers in 48 states.
Some of these buyers then dealt smaller quantities to other users. Prosecutors also claim that the product caused at least two deaths.
The defendants in the case have pleaded not guilty and attest that they only distributed BDO for legitimate, legal purposes. If convicted, they face a minimum of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison.
Companies purportedly based in Europe, China and India market the compound on English-language websites. As of last week, two third-party sellers offered consumer-sized quantities of BDO on Amazon Amazon removed these products after NBC News reached out to the company for comment. In the interest of public health, NBC News has chosen not to name the companies or share their websites and social media accounts. Overall capacity in was about 1. The plants had been idled since last August. European Q1 contract talks are underway.
European prices remain under pressure from cheaper Asian imports. Margins deteriorated during , squeezed between rocketing raw material costs and weak demand. PBT has been growing at healthy rates, principally consumed in engineering plastics for the automotive and electronics industries.
Demand in the first half of was good with PBT and TPU markets performing well although the spandex fibre market was weak. However, demand slowed considerably in the second half of the year as the credit crisis and destocking took effect.
It is hoped that the market will return to traditional growth rates post Domestic demand will increase from , tonnes in to , tonnes in Imports in were 32, tonnes while exports were 82, tonnes.
0コメント