Alcosynth - Safe alcohol alternative?

[squidgygoanna]

Thought some of you guys might be interested in this

 

I remember reading about this a few years ago when it was in it's infancy, looks like it may be hitting the shelves in the next few years.

 

As someone who's pretty sensitive to alcohol, particularly the negative side effects, I'd love to give this stuff a try

 

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/mar/26/an-innocent-drink-could-alcosynth-provide-all-the-joy-of-booze-without-the-dangers

[saguaro]

From what I can gather, Alcosynth is either an isotype-specific GABA_A agonist or positive allosteric modulator. It doesn't cause hangovers because acetaldehyde isn't a metabolite, and it presumably doesn't have as significant a diuretic effect as alcohol. But what is it?

 

Similar GABAergics (e.g. barbituates and benzos) are relatively dangerous, illegal to use recreationally, physically addictive with severe withdrawal symptoms.

 

I can't imagine this being safe or governments giving this the green light anytime soon

[squidgygoanna]

I was wondering this too, there's very rarely such thing as a "free lunch" in pharmacology, particularly when dealing with GABA

That said, I respect the work of Prof. David Nutt a lot, so it's going to be interesting to watch this all unfold

If it does what he says it's going to do, I don't think it's a stretch to say it's going to be revolutionary

[saguaro]

It would definitely be revolutionary if it does what is claimed - I'd drink to it.

 

However, considering Australia doesn't permit recreational cannabis use, Alcosynth being legalised for recreational purposes is a long shot. Not to mention our alcohol industry is worth billions and employs hundreds of thousands of people, even if it is one of the most destructive elements in our culture.

[Alchemica]

Yeah originally they were looking at pagoclone but it could be any α-subtype GABAA targeting drugs/PAM

 

But really, this is another cultural symptom... sure it may be safer than ethanol but seeking such a quick fix is a consequence of a problem, not a solution

 

This was once my Holy Grail quest - to have a safe alcohol substitute/pro-social aid through through things like this

 

Then I noticed how empty mere anxiolysis was. Spiritually devoid. It had no ability to grow you into your Divine Self, it just let you run away

 

Sure, there's severe pathological anxiety which I know is all too crippling but we need more wholesome tools that allow one to be themselves. I still feel plants offer a better tool to return to wholeness. Sure, they may not offer blatant inebriated anxiolysis but that's part of the challenge I feel, to be comfortable with things like anxiety until they no longer over-power you.

 

We need to consider why people are seeking such anxiolysis and feed their spirit to a place where they can have calm loving self-acceptance and compassion, not allow them to run away with another vice.

 

For me, this weekend I could go out... but in all honesty I'd rather not. eg in our society, you have to be absolutely off your head to find the majority of people interesting enough to even be interested in having a convo with them thanks to their cultural conditioning...

[Cimi]

Cannabis-related driving impairment is significantly less than that caused by alcohol. Ultimately we should really only need to test for alcohol in my opinion.

[Strontium Dawg]

We need to consider why people are seeking such anxiolysis and feed their spirit to a place where they can have calm loving self-acceptance and compassion, not allow them to run away with another vice.

 

Modern Life is the cause. So much pressure to fit into a shape, do this, don't do that...modern workplaces are increasingly stressful. Pressure to do more with less. And a lot of us see the futility, but can't do much to resist these forces. By Friday night, many of us seek the void.

[Alchemica]

Yeah I get you on that, it's sad that's the way things are for so many - I too sought the void all too often as life felt totally futile and full of pressures I couldn't handle. I've had to essentially disconnect from the majority of the ways our society runs, which isn't doable for everyone, as it is simply really bad for my health and not feel too guilty about it, the other way was literally killing me way too quickly

 

Thing is, I got a 'safer alcohol substitute' like pregabalin (don't mention the way phenibut went) and tried to use that instead of drinking and got blatantly addicted to it. Dose escalations. Tolerance and withdrawals. These things, if they offer any sort of nice effect, they will have abuse potential and really serious potential for harm away from being not that damaging in themselves - eg people operating heavy machinery is just one

 

I feel if many people got a clean break from drinking even to socially normal levels, ie a good period of total abstinence going, they'd find themselves in a better place where they didn't have to get persistently blasted by anything. So many., even those doing socially acceptable drinking, are in the cycle of use-withdrawal that they don't know what they feel like without it in their lives, which is scary. It really is such a nasty substance for mental health, for spiritual growth for everyone and society. They could too become teetotallers getting bent on a wholesome cup of tea etc

 

I'd rather some decent kava be allowed in, or something planty that could build up a responsible culture of use around it. But while people are used to getting inebriated as culturally accepted there will be issues