Substances I've Known

While I've discussed herbs I've known, I feel it's very pertinent to discuss drug policy, "legal" means of getting high, and what to watch out for.

Information just wants to be free.

Besides this, though, there's a rash of teen and kid abuse in relation to everyday purchasable items. And you just may want to know what it is your teen may have the opportunity to take.

Your species has adapted to pill and liquid ingestion. Your kids don't have trouble understanding that.

...Benadryl and Dramamine!

Ah, yes, otherwise known as diphenhydramine and dimenhydrinate .

Right about now, you're asking yourselves.. who gets high off of this stuff?

Good question! And for that, all I can say is...watch your teens! Don't be totally suspect, of course, but be aware that there's plenty of ways to achieve some sort of mental shift without a heavily regulated or illegal substance.

So what are these "highs" like? Sure....

Benadryl is known for many uses. It's a good sleeping agent, you can apply it topically, it'll keep you from sneezing....but if you go above the thresh hold, depending on your body's size and chemistry, you can easily seek a delirious state.

Delirium? Sounds pleasant, right? It's as if you're "dreaming awake," you'll uplift and begin hearing music like never before. Your muscles become relaxed, heavy even.

At higher dosages you will have auditory and sometimes visual hallucinations. Your skin can flush red, it may become either difficult to speak or even to think right. 

Not all, but many experience dry mouth, itchy skin, loss of coordination, muscle cramps, vomiting, and a whole list of other possible side affects. Death isn't one of them, as long as you don't ingest at LD50 and beyond levels.

Dramamine is a close cousin to Benadryl, and is widely used to treat motion sickness. There are new forms on the market that are "non-drowsy," but the original formula still includes a very benadryl-like substance, albeit this time it's a salt. 

What does this mean? Think of Dramamine like Benadryl, except the affects tend to onset quicker and last longer. Dramamine's chemical makeup allows it to pass the blood-brain barrier much quicker than it's cousin, and thus it's easier to experience the effects listed above. 

Next we have DXM , a psychedelic dissociative found to suppress coughing. You might know it as Robitussin, Nyquil, and any other variety of names out there.

While it's hard to find products on the market that contain only dextromethorphan  hydrobromide, it's not impossible. However, several brands of cough syrup have changed their recipes and have added in ingredients designed to make you up-chuck at higher doses, and can even cause death.

Bottom line: if you want to try this stuff, you MUST, MUST always read the label. If it has anything OTHER than DXM in it, forget it. Don't do it.

Affects: DXM is a psychedelic. So, if you must, think "acid" or "shrooms." But it's more than that, it can be a strong dissociative, too. Often you'll find your mood lift, you become happier, begun to enjoy things in a different way.

Your pupils will dilate, you may have some trouble walking, and I usually lose my appetite. When taken at a safe and sane level (read: plateau one or two) most side affects are negligible, and the few you get are usually enjoyable.

But as with even water, take too much, and you can end up six feet under.

There's a silent revolution occurring. Illegal substances that have been banned for one reason or another (and often just for the benefit of keeping competition away) are finding themselves resurrected to a legal status.

Well, not the substances themselves . Man made chemical compounds designed to have roughly the same affects.

Spice, as I've written about before, is basically a compound called JWH-018. It binds to the THC receptors already present in the brain. (Wait, why does the brain have receptors for THC? )

It's affects are much like that of smoked cannabis. But shorter, and often not as strong as the "natural" stuff. (Although one can say through crossbreeding, hydroponics, and what not have you..natural it isn't quite anymore.)

When Germany outlawed JWH-018, someone just made a slightly different chemical-- JWH-073. Viola, more legal cannabis-like substances.

As you can see, this is causing a legal run-around. It's time, I believe, for your species to look at it's consumption rate of "legal" drugs and decide what the difference is.

You may find the differences to be subtle; rooted more in idealism than truth. Morality is funny like that.

It's easy to fear these new chemicals--stuff I can make at home, and sell to anyone.

But it's just as easy to take a step back and decide, once and for all, that drug policy is outmoded. It's time to stop putting off til tomorrow because your drug policy has created a lot of dirty, filthy, deadly, greedy wealth.

And done little else.

has been creating pills that are supposed to be similar to Ecstasy and Opium. I've personally used them on four occasions-- the pills come in a pack of four, and each pill is about $5. There's a little instruction booklet telling you how to take, and how much thereof. One pill= 12 hours of interesting.

It reminds me a little of DXM--a little of prozac--and yes, a little like opium. But without the addictiveness. It's a happy, loosey goosey mode. A mode I'm already in, generally speaking. But for my money--$20 for safe, legal,  recreational use of happy pills is a lot cheaper than a lot of the substances coming out of your pharmacy.

Remember kids, as with all drugs each one is different. And so is each person.

Know your mind, body, and soul.

And don't do this at home if you're under 18.

All around us we're bombarded with ads for one drug or another. When it turns out these drugs are prematurely unleashed on society, the drug companies generally don't have to worry about much.

Realistically, all drugs should carry a label:

WARNING: Take this at your own risk. Read all affects described herein, both positive and negative, and decide for yourself. Always take a low dosage at first. Do not overdose. Do not operate machinery until you know how this substance affects you. And do not change your recommended dosage without consulting a professional.

^{(Look sorta familiar?)}

We must always remember--what doctors do is called "practice," what drug manufactures do is called "clinical trial." Test enough, and it'll seem safe. But when there's millions of potential clients out there, there's always a statistical number of death in overdose and poor reaction.

Chemicals are not to be feared. If your species put half the effort and money it uses to keep three drug markets going (the legal, psuedo-legal, and black), when all are finally combined you just may find that there's a lot of scientists on either side that should have been working together all along.

So parents, children, lend me your ears:

Safely educate yourselves, loved ones, and friends on proper drug use.

And promise me you won't ever corrupt a minor's consciousness by offering them these substances.

Until our next intersection in space-time,

Namaste!