diazepam effects

[simonella]

Why does taking 20mg of Diazepam feel as if it has the same effect as smoking a joint and taking an E at the same time? Does it work on the brain in a similar way, and if so why is it 'safer' than the 'illegal' way?

[newtron]

I agree that legal pharaceuticals are probably safer because the the ingredients are known, where with illegal drugs, you don't know what it may be cut with.  But many legal pharmaceuticals can also have dangerous side effects, especially when taken regularly over a long period of time. 

[Peter Pedant]

Diazepam works at a GABA receptor, that's the easy bit. There are zillions of slightly different GABA receptors. And tend to stimulate the GABA channel. = GABAergic.

I thought E works at a different receptor (NMDA). Different receptor, different action. To the outside observer (moi) God they are completely different. Up to an including the bit, where no-one I know who takes Valium cooks themselves - ever!

J - it is a cannabinoid. It is bound to have a receptor but I am not sure if it has been defined.

Why do they feel them same. God knows. Does it feel the same as putting your head in a food mixer and turning it on to 'splatter' ?

[marmaduke]

But Diazepam is surely only a 'legal' drug if you've been prescribed it, which not many people who use it recreationally have been?

[Jacobean]

Both cannabis and Exstacy work in complete different ways to diazepam. As an early poster pointed out, diazepam (as well as the other benzodiazepenes) work on GABA receptors. As far as I am aware, E works mainly on dopamine and adrenal receptors, not sure about cannabis, but I'm pretty sure it's not GABA potentiated. As for the reason they feel the same? Maybe youve taken too many E's and smoked too many joints to see any difference!!