Chem Rage
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Recent incident - acid attack in the UK
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
Long time since I last posted, but as a chemistry enthusiast myself, I visit quite frequently. 
I feel compelled to rant about this recent acid attack incident (see link to the Daily Mail newspaper article below), which took place in the UK.
Thanks to the disgusting actions of the chav low life scum who carried out this appalling assault, common reagents, including acid staples we take for
granted become increasingly more difficult for amateur chemists to obtain. Without lab staples like H2SO4, the amount of chemistry one can practice is
very limited.
One commenter wrote in the article's comment section: "We need more high spec camera's on the streets and the acid should be as illegal as class A's
now with the same punishment".
Another wrote: "Stop making acid readily available at your local hardware stores. Require ID to purchase it and only by licensed professionals."
Thankfully, not everyone suffers from the blanket ban mentality: "You are a fool. Acid today, flaming petrol tomorrow and bleach next week. Stop
banning the tool and instead lock up the criminal."
Basically, these criminal acts and reckless misuse of chemicals lead to the wider public calling for more Big Brother controls (the UK is a
surveillance society as it is!) and restrictions to chemicals that are perfectly safe in the hands of the law abiding and educated amateur chemists
who adhere to strict safety protocols.
Whilst such attacks are appalling (and I feel that an acid attack should command a mandatory 30 years imprisonment), increasingly tighter restrictions
and bans are not the answer. It is the law abiding who suffer the consequences. 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3242000/Acid-victim-...
[Edited on 25-9-2015 by Chem Rage]
[Edited on 25-9-2015 by Chem Rage]
[Edited on 25-9-2015 by Chem Rage]
[Edited on 26-9-2015 by Chem Rage]
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Chem Rage
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Over 100 views and not one comment?  What do you think about these increasingly
draconian legislations and bans that are often brought in after imbeciles recklessly misuse or abuse chemicals? This affects all of us, especially
those very few amateur chemists who reside in the dumbed-down UK, where we are at the mercy of EU diktat. I fear that these acid attacks will make
H2SO4 even harder to obtain.
[Edited on 25-9-2015 by Chem Rage]
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BromicAcid
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Certainly it would help to have a more descriptive subject line. I had no clue what I was stepping into, as such even if 100 people viewed it that
does not mean it was 100 people interested in this topic. This is nothing new, people have been afraid/angry at chemicals since I can remember.
Usually I am totally against regulating these sorts of things, but concentrated sulfuric acid is an amazingly injurious substance in not just wrong
but simply unskilled hands.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9529183
Granted anything can be dangerous given the right circumstances, but still to this day and even at the time I was experimenting, I was surprised that
I was able to buy this stuff by the gallon at my local hardware store without anyone showing the slightest of care.
I guess what I am saying is that I agree that you should punish the 'individual and not the tool' but I am also saying that concentrated sulfuric acid
has its on set of concerns and is perhaps something that you don't want in the hands of the ignorant.
Edit: I doubt you will have to worry about this being removed from the market, selling impure spent acid at this sort of markup is like printing
money. At least in the states the Consumer Product Safety Commission that will jump at the chance to take a toy off the market if it pokes a kid in
the eye has denied removing sulfuric acid from hardware stores again and again.
[Edited on 9/26/2015 by BromicAcid]
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NeonPulse
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I dont think they will be removing it just yet if at all. Lye is also another substance commonly used for the deforming of young women especially in
india and the surrounding suburbs and they have repeatedly called for it's ban there but it is still widely available. Quite a few years back now
there was a highly publicized acid attack on an aspiring young journalist named katie piper and as severe as her injuries were there was no acid ban
then. another case in belgium where a man threw acid in a womans face because she ended their relationship. no ban then and there in 2009 either.
Even in australia there was a curious case of a homeless indian woman in NSW who lived transiently in local bushland who had hemicals thrown in her
face- she never sought help trehttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/homeless-woman-monika-chetty-dies-from-severe-burns-20140201-31t9y.html
Acid attacks are an incredibly cruel thing like a slow physical and psychological torture with long lasting physical and psychological effects which
i would not wish on my worst enemy. luckily they are rare too, so why would the authorities ban it on account of a few incidents? it would be like
banning a certain lolly because a kid choked on it.
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Praxichys
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This is where capital punishment would be great. Chinese water torture with conc. H2SO4... or maybe dilute so it lasts longer. That'll set a
great example not to throw acid on people.
But seriously, if it's not acid it'll be alkali, if it's not alkali it'll be a knife, if it's not a knife it'll be a club, and if it's not a club
it'll be a rock. You can damage someone with pretty much anything. There needs to be a social shift to prevent this kind of crap in the first place.
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NeonPulse
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3267741/Devastated-i...
This Article says that in the UK these acid Attacks are more common than ever. 180 in the past year, I actually thought them to be a rarity, So maybe
afterall the citizens of the UK may be getting some kind of restrictions on strong drain openers. Governments are into banning things they are scared
of.
I agree prax, it is an absolutely horrific thing to do and should be punished by death. In this case this guy got life in prison.
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Chem Rage
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Already a UK newspaper is calling for a ban on sales of drain unblocker to the public. Why not impose harsher penalties (e.g. life imprisonment) for
those who carry out such evil crimes, rather than blanket ban everything, which only serves to make chemicals even more difficult for the law abiding
to obtain. How I hate this blanket ban mentality! Why not ban fuel and kitchen knives, as they can be misused to maim or kill?
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/612951/Express-acid-attack-...
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OneEyedPyro
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That seems to be how many folks in the UK think, if you don't like something ban it.
If some psycho goes on a shooting spree, ban guns.
Worried about explosives? Ban nitrates, chlorates, perchlorates etc.
Only the most neccessary and common dangerous items such as knives seem to escape total bans even so there are some ridiculous regulations surrounding
them, the knife laws over there come to mind.
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Mabus
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They should also ban gasoline and all fuels. After all, there have been people burned alive in many arson attacks.
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AngelEyes
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Most guns are banned, knives require ID and age-verification, lots of chems are banned...etc.
Sadly, the attitude of MPs in the UK is one of 'ban it, and ban it now!' rather than attempt to fix the cause of the problem in the first place. This
is largely because it's easier to ban something and brush the problem away, than to actually fix the underlying issue. They also seem unable to punish
the offenders correctly. Mandatory life sentence seems appropriate for an acid-in-the-face attack. After all, you've imposed a life sentence on the
other person by doing that.
Also, you can't trust anything you read in the daily mail - it's sensationalist tosh of the first order. They'll jump on any band wagon and ride it
for as long as they can, or until the next one comes along.
\'Silk and satin, leather and lace...black panties with an Angel\'s face\'
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