Purported legal highs

From RationalWiki
(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
m (Legal stimulants)
(Sex: Gotta wikify sex...)
Line 44: Line 44:
  
 
=== Sex ===
 
=== Sex ===
Sex, preferably with another person (with [[informed consent|consent]]), releases a whopping cocktail of neurotransmitters like endorphins, oxytocin, and dopamine. The upshot is potentially tremendous physical pleasure followed by a relaxing high, with no negative side effects to speak of other than possibly catching pubic lice (provided that you properly use condoms) except maybe a little soreness. Put some ice on it and go again.
+
[[Sex]], preferably with another person (with [[informed consent|consent]]), releases a whopping cocktail of neurotransmitters like endorphins, oxytocin, and dopamine. The upshot is potentially tremendous physical pleasure followed by a relaxing high, with no negative side effects to speak of other than possibly catching pubic lice (provided that you properly use condoms) except maybe a little soreness. Put some ice on it and go again.
  
  

Revision as of 22:16, 21 May 2013

Our secret stash of

Drugs

Icon drugs.svg
Highs and lows

Purported legal highs include common foods and other substances which, if consumed in a certain way or in sufficient quantity, are rumoured to have psychoactive effects. Most frequently they are claimed to have similar effects to marijuana.

The reality of this ranges from urban legend, to some truth to the rumor, depending on the substance.

What is and isn't legal obviously depends on which legislature you are in. Laws are subject to change at any time - particularly anything that gives you a high. Also please do not mistake any of this for reliable legal advice.

Contents

Urban legends

The placebo effect has a lot to answer for here. Keep in mind that if any of these really did have the claimed druggy effects, somebody would have made them illegal already. Mostly these are all a bunch of woo, for silly kids who can't get the real stuff because mommy won't let them out of the house.

Banana peels

This was a hoax published in the Berkeley Barb newspaper in 1967, claiming the scrapings from banana peels contained a fictional drug called "bananadine", which would produce a brief marijuana-like high when smoked. It caused a brief shortage of bananas in Berkeley, California, and Donovan had a hit single, "Mellow Yellow", about the fad. Researchers have found the banana peel contains no intoxicating chemicals at all, but this has not stopped bored teenagers from continuing to conduct their own banana "experiments". You will probably have a more significant mind altering experience by actually drinking a Mello Yello.

Catnip

Catnip's apparent druggy effects on cats have not translated into a druggy effect on humans,[1] but goodness knows some have tried smoking or ingesting it in an attempt to replicate the effect. Best leave the catnip for your furry feline companion, and enjoy a cold beer instead. The active chemical in catnip, nepetalactone, does exhibit very minor sedative effects in humans and has been used by herbalists in the past as a mild sedative or a treatment.[2], but this is nowhere near a "high".

Coca-Cola and aspirin

Purportedly, consuming aspirin together with Coca-Cola gets you high. This is a rumor that has made the rounds from time to time among gullible teenagers. According to snopes.com,[3] this rumor goes all the way back to the 1930s, and like most of the others is baseless. The original Coca-Cola formula prior to 1904 however did contain alcohol and coca leaf extract.

Peanut skins

Along the same lines as the banana peel legend, a rumor that smoking peanut skins could get you high started among the late 1960s counterculture. As with banana peel, it takes a lot of fiddly effort and any resulting "high" is pure placebo.

Jenkem

Jenkem is a gas produced from fermented fecal matter and urine. First reported in Zambia, it was considered a popular "drug of choice" by US teenagers in the mid 2000's. It is widely believed to be a hoax after it went too far and ended up on an official Sheriff's Office memo.[4][5]

Sinicuichi

Sinicuichi is a brew formed from plants of the genus Heimia and was used ceremonially by the Aztecs. Some publications by Victor Reko and others spread the rumor that it was an auditory hallucinogen, but almost everyone who has tried it reports that it's extremely subtle (read: indistinguishable from placebo) and not worth the effort. Oh, and it generally causes severe muscle aches the day after.[6]

Marketing ploys

Brainwave woo

There are various quack products or methods that are purported to bring you to a "higher state of consciousness" or replicate a legal high based on dubious claims about adjusting, manipulating, or synchronizing brainwaves. I-Doser is probably the most common of these.

I-Doser

Can you get "high" just by listening to sounds? Only if they synchronize your brainwaves and cost $4 a time.

Actual "legal highs" (at varying degrees of activity, and toxicity!)

Alcohol

Alcohol is legal throughout most of the world (except in most Muslim countries), and it comes in a variety of refreshing flavours. Unfortunately, all of those flavors taste like alcohol. Comes with a number of side effects such as vomiting, spousal violence and feeling vile in the morning.

Exercise

Regular exercise can produce endorphins, which produce a feeling of euphoria, making you feel good about yourself and others.[7] So get off your lazy butt, quit trolling creationist websites, and go run a mile or two.

Sex

Sex, preferably with another person (with consent), releases a whopping cocktail of neurotransmitters like endorphins, oxytocin, and dopamine. The upshot is potentially tremendous physical pleasure followed by a relaxing high, with no negative side effects to speak of other than possibly catching pubic lice (provided that you properly use condoms) except maybe a little soreness. Put some ice on it and go again.


Note not all forms of sex are actually legal, and some countries may execute you for premarital sex.

Meditation

Can be a very good relaxation technique, and helps deal with stress. Need not be religious!

Legal stimulants

Caffeine and ephedrine can both produce a nice euphoric buzz.

Nicotine is more problematic in that it can also produce a nice euphoric buzz but just as often a nasty headache, is highly addictive, and is most often taken by using tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and snuff, all of which expose the body to several carcinogens.

Arecoline is found in areca nuts (sometimes erroneously called "betel nuts" because they are sold wrapped in betel leaf) which are mostly used in rural parts of south and east Asia.

Salvia divinorum

Salvia divinorum is known to cause partial hallucinogenic experiences which are relatively brief but often very powerful. S. divinorum was featured on the TV show 99 Things To Do Before You Die, where the presenter claimed the effect was "like coming down from the fucking mothership". S. divinorum is legal in most countries, although its growing popularity may cause that status to change. Driving on it is possibly not the best idea.[8]

Various fungi

Magic mushrooms contain the psychedelic agent psilocybin, are legal in most countries if you pick your own, and can even be sold legally in a few places. If you are tempted, make sure you know exactly what you are looking for, or preferably go picking with somebody experienced, since some other wild mushrooms can be fatal.

Peyote

Mescaline, the psychoactive ingredient in peyote. Its chemical structure resembles that of amphetamines.

Peyote is legal in some countries, but only for "bona fide religious ceremonies". It works. It works fucking well in fact. San Pedro cactus is also a powerful hallucinogen, and is legal almost everywhere. However, unlike peyote, San Pedro is not eaten, rather, it should be brewed after preparing the cactus and removing most of the outer layers. The active ingredient of both cacti is mescaline.

Datura

Datura is a genus of evil plants found the world over. Easily recognisable by its trumpet shaped flowers, Datura flowers and/or seed pods can be brewed into a tea or eaten raw. What follows is an intense, 24 - 72 hour long, swim into delusion with effects tapering off after 3 days, (that the user will likely not recall). Expect to smoke cigarettes that do not exist, talk to people who are not there, and throw cats into bathtubs. Datura is not for the faint-hearted - or anyone else, for that matter. If you are tempted be extremely cautious and have a sober sitter.

Kratom

Kratom a.k.a. Mitragyna speciosa is a medicinal leaf harvested from a large tree in the Rubiaceae family native to Southeast Asia. The active ingredients, Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, are mild opioids. Sold in powdered form. Think enhanced energy, cough suppression, boost in antioxidants, and very mild sense of well-being.

Codeine

Codeine is an opiate which is the active ingredient in some strong cough syrups and headache remedies. It is fairly tightly regulated as a prescription-only drug (for instance, in Tylenol 3), although in some jurisdictions certain kinds of codeine products can be sold by pharmacists without a prescription. Codeine products are often used as a stop-gap by junkies when they're out of heroin or money. As with all other opiates, repeated use is addictive, and there is a risk of overdose. Homemade codeine cocktails such "krok" come with a plethora of extra toxic problems. Fifty million dead junkies can't be wrong - opiates are nice.

Dextromethorphan

Available in some over-the-counter cough syrups, larger doses of dextromethorphan can cause dissociative and hallucinogenic effects, similar to those of ketamine or PCP. Excessive doses cause temporary psychosis and extreme discomfort. Nevertheless, this is a popular recreational drug among some teenagers. Making this problematic is dextromethorphan in OTC cough medications is usually in combination with other drugs such as acetaminophen and guaifenesin, and if you consume the amount of dextromethorphan needed to get high you can also consume enough acetaminophen to cause liver damage.

Morning glory seeds

Morning glory is the common name for over 100 different species of flowering plants. Rumored to contain LSD, the seeds actually contain a very small amount of a related substance, LSA (lysergic acid amide), which is structurally related to LSD but tends to produce less or no visuals, and has a more narcotic effect than LSD. Urban legends and "recipes" abound on the Internet claiming to give instructions for extracting "LSD" from morning glory seeds.

Poppy seeds

Poppy seeds (Papaver species) can easily be brewed into a foul tasting tea which produces an opiate due to it's morphine, codeine, etc. content. Poppy seeds do not contain morphine, but when the seeds are extracted from the poppy small amounts of opium are left on the outside of the seeds. Opium is very addictive and can cause death if care is not taken, this is especially true of plant sources of drugs because of the tendency for alkaloids to vary from batch to batch.[9] Warning: Consuming excess amounts of poppy seeds (bagels, muffins, pastries, etc.) can yield a false positive on drug tests. US Offenders on day release are specifically advised to avoid poppy seed rolls.[10]

Nutmeg

Nutmeg contains myristicin, which really does have a psychoactive effect in larger amounts. The amount of nutmeg usually used as a spice has no effect. Up to a tablespoon may produce mild euphoric effects; anything over a tablespoon can cause vertigo, nausea, extreme thirst, nasty headache, and other unpleasant effects along with a "high" and hallucinations. Unfortunately, myristicin has a horrible dose-to-toxicity ratio and a sufficient amount needed to produce a "high" will also inevitably produce vertigo and nausea. The effect is rather like a bad hangover from alcohol. Even larger doses can cause seizures or lead to a visit to the emergency room for nutmeg poisoning. Because of this, nutmeg has never gained much popularity as a recreational drug.

Herbal smoking blends, "bath salts" etc.

Often called "K2", "Spice", and other names, herbal smoking blends are mixtures of common (and benign) herbs sprayed with synthetic chemicals similar to THC, including JWH-018, JWH-073, CP 47,497, HU-210, and/or other cannabinoids. Such products are also available in pill or powder form, with similar names hinting at their intended usage, containing drugs similar to popular party drugs. These synthetic chemicals are "designer drugs", a drug concocted in a laboratory with a similar enough chemical composition to an illegal drug to mimic its effects, but not itself technically illegal. Rarely will they be labeled as intended for human consumption, but rather "bath salts", "incense" or other such innocent descriptions. The active ingredients are often also available in pure form as "research chemicals", while the more flashy-named products often don't even name their ingredient (herbal blends often fail to mention any synthetic ingredient at all). Usually, little research is available on these drugs due to their novelty, and they don't last very long as most countries ban them within at most a few years of appearing on the market, prompting the manufacturers to create new ones.

Toads

Do not lick.

Bufotenine is an alkaloid with hallucinogenic effects found in the secretions of a few species of toads, which unlike most species in the frog order often have glands on their backs used to deter predators. While some toads secrete hallucinogens through these glands, others secrete poison. Some people have tried licking toads to get high, although it doesn't generally work and is a good way to make yourself horribly sick. (You might also make the toad feel uncomfortable when licking it.)

Inhalants

These are a sub group of drugs that all work around the principle that interfering with oxygen supplies to the brain can cause all kinds of different consciousness experiences (including coma and death). These are often found in household products, such as White Out, highlighters, computer duster, or magic markers. These types of drugs tend to be the favorites of middle school kids. Inhalant abuse is extremely dangerous to your health and can cause permanent damage to your respiratory and central nervous systems.[11]

Laughing gas, or "whipits"

N2O (nitrous oxide) is used as a propellant for food products dispensed via aerosol cans, most notably whipped cream. It is also used by professional racers and suburban kids who have watched too much Fast and Furious movies to violate their engines' horsepower limit. If the can is not shaken, it is possible to get propellant without product from the can. Laughing gas does make the inhaler "high".[12] Restaurant employees are often frustrated at finding that the "full" case of whipped cream is completely useless due to the dishwashers having "consumed" all the propellant. It is also possible to purchase propellant "refill" canisters, bypassing the need to worry about getting a throatful of whipped cream. These canisters are broken open using specialized devices called "crackers" and the nitrous oxide is usually released into a balloon to prepare for inhalation. The canisters, crackers, and balloons are often available at "head shops" as an all inclusive package. Note: nitrous oxide obtained from sources other than aerosol cans (e.g. dentists or doctors) is illegal to have and use when not under medical supervision. And to be on the safe side, don't mix it with gasoline in your car's engine (sure it will increase performance, but it's also a good way to add an extra 100,000 miles of wear to your engine). Nitrous oxide may lead to a false feeling of discovering the secrets of the universe.[13]

Model airplane glue

Toluene: possible, but not recom-mended.

Before they took the fun out, toluene was the active ingredient in glue for assembling styrene plastic models. Manufacturers started phasing it out of model glue in the late seventies. A person should only use it if they are really stupid and really hard up. It is very hazardous to your health, damaging many major organs, and not a particularly smart thing to use. The same goes for abusing other solvents. Just say no. There's a reason the Ramones are dying young.

Poppers

Various chemicals, including amyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite, cyclohexyl nitrite, are legally sold as "video head cleaner" or "room odorizer", usually in adult book stores. It is illegal to sell these as a recreational drug, but that is practically the only real reason anyone buys them. These drugs produce a "high" of rapid onset when the fumes are inhaled, claimed by some to enhance orgasms during sex. Poppers are often associated with gay culture.

Mephedrone

Mephedrone (4-Methyl-Methcathinone or 4-MMC) is "legal" as a fertilizer but it does allegedly have some very, very nasty side effects - like ripping your own scrotum off.[14] Following media scares like these (many of which are either exaggerated or possibly made up[15]), it was made illegal in the UK.

Gravity

If you place your head between your legs for about five minutes and quickly lift it up, the sudden change in blood pressure causes a light euphoric effect and blued-out vision. It makes for an interesting way to kill time in class.

The ultimate legal high also involves gravity.

Exhaustion

Exhaustion is free and legal.[16]

Pain

The body's response to pain includes the release of (possibly large) quantities of endorphins, which are endogenous morphine analogs. A large variety of activities geared toward large-scale endorphin release is available, if you roll that way (or are open to experimentation).

Yohimbe

The yohimbe root has variously been claimed to be a stimulant, a mild hallucinogen, and an aphrodisiac or sexual aid (often included in "herbal Viagra" concoctions). Scientific studies have shown it may be effective in treating erectile dysfunction; yohimbine hydrochloride (an isolate of the active alkaloid) is a prescription medication in some countries for that very purpose. This alkaloid is a potent alpha-2 adrenoreceptor antagonist and can dilate small blood vessels, enhancing the turgidity of male and female genitalia. This alpha-2 antagonism gives yohimbine/yohimbe extract both physical and mental stimulant properties. It lacks notable hallucinogenic effects, however, and is dangerous when taken in high doses due to its hypertensive impact.

See also

Footnotes

  1. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=experts-how-does-catnip-work-on-cats
  2. Chemistry.About.com - Nepetalactone
  3. http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/aspirin.asp
  4. Salon.com - Smoke This!
  5. Fox News - 'Drug' Made From Human Waste Causing Stink on Web, in Law Enforcement
  6. Erowid Sinicuichi Experience Vaults
  7. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/health/nutrition/27best.html
  8. Driving on Salvia
  9. http://www.poppyseedtea.com
  10. http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=c5987b1e-add7-403a-b817-b3efe6109265&chunkiid=156998
  11. [1]
  12. TheSite.org - Nitrous oxide
  13. Some bloke said some guy said some other guy did it
  14. Metro News - 'Legal' drug meow meow made man 'rip his scrotum off'
  15. New Scientist Miaow-miaow on trial: Truth or trumped-up charges?
  16. http://www.picturesforsadchildren.com/84/
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Community
Tools
support