Is it not possible for scientists to replicate drugs such as heroin and cocaine in the lab?

[mrmoonshine]

If so would they possibly be able to remove whats in it that makes it addictive?

[ll_billym]

There are lots of drugs that are synthetic and have pretty much the same effect as illegal drugs.

A lot of the addictive nature of feel good drugs is that they give pleasure, so people do them more and more often because they like the feeling they get from them. There is no specific chemical that makes a drug addictive, it is the combination of all then chemicals in the drug that make people feel good and therefore make people want to do them.

However there is also a physical addiction, which means that people actually start to have adverse affects if they do not take the drug, sweating and shaking for instance so I suppose drugs could be made such that they do not create that physical addiction but in any case, if a person stops taking drugs, the physical side of things mostly wears off after a couple of weeks but then the bigger problem to overcome is the fact that people still want to get the feeling they got on the drug, so end up doing it again.

[ummmm]

Some people are mentally addicted to things. My accountant is an alcoholic and has been for many years. When he does give up the drink he has no withdrawal symptoms at all. He just craves the numbing effect alcohol gives him.

[Clanad]

Sure, but since the only purpose for such addictive drugs is for human consumption (animals in the wild are not known to consume them) they have no other value and such removal would leave a worthelss residue... It's only after the intensifying process that the chemicals have their desired effect on humans. Natives of Peru and other Andean countries where the coca plant gorws in the wild have only a slight "buzz" after years of sucking on the leaves, since there's not a whole lot of the alkaloids in the individual leaf packets the native's suck on... It's described as equal to several cups of coffee...

[mrmoonshine]

Thanks for all of your answers.

[wildwood]

Just as an aside. I have often wondered why the nicotine in tobacco can not be removed or at least lessened. Smoking is a habit and addiction. Perhaps without the nicotine it would be easier for smokers to give up.

[ll_billym]

Wouldn't lessening the nicotine make people smoke more, not less?

[willowman]

Going off at a slight tangent, thereis a theory that curries are addictive due to the body releasing endorphines as a reaction to the chillies.
I have to say that that if I don't have an Indian meal for a couple of weeks then I definately feel good when I next eat one. I have a lovely feeling like a high.