loophole drugs

厚生労働省は新たに17の「脱法ドラッグ」を指定薬物にするように決めました。
「脱法ドラッグ」をこの記事では”loophole drug”と訳しています。先般の記事の訳を参照すると（http://d.hatena.ne.jp/A30/20120826/1345974544）、「水平的」な訳の感じがします。

ともあれ、ご存じのようにloopholeは「（城壁などの）銃眼」や「（通風・採光用などの）小穴」（『ジーニアス英和辞典　第４版』(大修館)）を表します。また「[比喩的に]逃げ道」(ibid)も表します。LDOCEで詳しく見てみると、"a small mistake in a law that makes it possible to avoid doing something that the law is supposed to make you do”とあり、法律上の「誤り」であることが前提であるため、あまり良いイメージにはなりません。

先生が紹介されたCopsを観てみますと、「大麻」はweedと呼ばれていますので、herbはまたまた日本的な編集方法（cf. 松岡正剛）でしょうね。(Minnesota)

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/A30/20120828/1346120188

Gov't adds 17 drugs to controlled substances list

TOKYO —

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare this week tightened Japan’s drug control laws to ban the production and sale of 17 substances that are similar in chemical structure to existing hallucinogenic drugs.

A commission investigating the health and safety of foodstuffs and medicine added the 17 substances, known as "loophole drugs"to the restricted list, including five that are known to be on sale in Europe, but are not yet believed to be in circulation in Japan, TBS reported Friday.

The move marks the first time a substance has been added to the banned list before it is confirmed to be in circulation.

The ministry said the number of drugs and herbs on the controlled substances list has now reached 90. The ministry added that it is looking into the possibility of a blanket ban of a range of substances with a similar chemical structure early next year, in order to make the restrictions more comprehensive.

The word “herb” is used in Japan as a euphemism for a range of drugs that circumvent current substance control laws. The sale of the drugs, which police say are usually smoked, has been in the news recently following a spate of medical emergencies and accidents.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/govt-adds-17-drugs-to-controlled-substances-list