“The researchers followed more than 5,000 people over two decades and found that regularly smoking marijuana — the equivalent of up to a joint a day over seven years — did not impair performance on a lung function test.

“In something of a twist, the researchers found that compared to nonsmokers, marijuana users performed slightly better on the lung function test, though the improvement was minuscule.”

Epic. I think I’ll go take some puffs of this finely crafted BHO in celebration! While I do that, check out the rest of the article:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/11/marijuana-smoking-does-not-harm-lungs-study-finds/

Locale
Source
Symptoms
Your history
Strange taste
Weird properties
What you should do!

Do you live in America? If so, chances are high that you did not get laced cannabis. Very few American dealers modify their product at all. Not much more to be said. If not, I probably can’t help you a whole lot. England does supposedly have a major problem with “soapbar” hash and other types of tainted marijuana products, but being that I live smack dab in the middle of America, I can’t speak to that with any authority.

Where did you get your weed from? If it was your normal, trusted, everyday dealer, you’re probably fine. Even if it was a new guy, it normally doesn’t make sense financially to lace weed. Most other smokable drugs are expensive, and if anything the dealer will strongly advertise the laced drug while offering a greater price.

That’s not to say it’s impossible, or that it never happens, but it is just very rare. One of the few ways for a dealer to profitably lace weed would be to sprinkle a synthetic cannabinoid on some cheap, subpar product. As long as you buy the synthetic stuff in bulk, you could conceivably lace your shwag enough to fool the unsuspecting user into thinking it was some high quality stuff.

However, this plan is not without its significant drawbacks. For one, many synthetic cannabinoids are now illegal, and are fairly hard to find. There are a lot of scams on the internet, so you may well end up giving more money to some conniving con artist than you profit off your unsuspecting clients. Not to mention, if a dealer sells tainted weed word will quickly get around, and their reputation will never recover.

Are these your symptoms? If they sound something like these, you probably just smoked too much weed:

• Became much higher than normal
• Visual and/or auditory hallucinations to varying intensity
• Photosensitivity
• Increased tactile sensitivity
• Dizziness/vertigo
• Nausea
• Extremely short memory or blacked out memory
• Intense anxiety or feeling of dread
• Increased heart rate/blood pressure (though not extraordinarily)
• Feelings of paranoia or persecution

Many users do not realize such severe reactions can be had to cannabis, but they are more common than you might think.

What’s your smoking history? How many times you’ve “been around the block,” so to speak, can heavily influence your experience. It’s known as tolerance, and losing it can turn a former hardened-smoker into a newbie all over again. If you’ve only smoked a handful of times, you might be caught off guard by the sheer power of the chronic. It can obliterate the mind and body, and can seem like totally different drugs from one day to the next.

Any smoker who has taken a recent break, bought a new strain, tried a different type of weed (shwag to dank or vice-versa), or even smoked out of a new device (bong, vaporizer, joint, waterfall, blunt, etc) can experience an unexpected boost to their high. Even so much as to feel “like PCP” or LSD or nearly anything else.

But why did it taste so weird? Weed can have funky flavors sometimes, even if it’s from high-quality genetics. If it has been harvested too early, or flushed improperly/insufficiently, it can have very unusual chemical-like flavors. Sometimes you’ll just get a bad flavor, even when everything was done right. Taste can be a good indicator of quality, but it can also be very misleading. I’ve had strains that looked and tasted incredible, but they didn’t get you high worth a damn.

But my weed looks weird! The same reasons it smokes and tastes funny can lead to foreign substances. If the weed has weird strings in it (or dirt, or little crystal things or whatever), it is very often a product of sloppy harvesting. People use all sorts of fertilizers and pesticides and everything else on their crop, which can cause your weed to snap, crackle and pop.

It may not be particularly healthy to smoke weed with contaminants of any type, and it would be ideal to wash it out or make isohash or something. In fact, with all marijuana the best practice is to wash it off before smoking. An easy way for that is to simply rinse it out (like you would a vegetable, but preferably over a pan to catch the little nuglets), and then stick it in the oven at about 150˚F or so to dry it out. Now, since I already know nobody is going to be washing out their weed, you might as well just smoke it, you’ll probably be fine.

There have been reports in the UK of weed laced with glass dust. I assume to give the false appearance of more trichomes, so that a dealer can charge more. Needless to say, this is extremely dangerous and harmful to the health. The problem with glass in your weed, however, is that you’ll likely not notice it right away. Unless your lungs suddenly start bleeding (extremely unlikely), you’ll simply feel fine for years. It works like asbestos, slowly creating an infinitely-expanding callous-like growth in your lungs through a process called silicosis. Naturally, more exposure gives you a greater risk, so if you suspect you’ve been sold tainted weed, find a completely new source for your stuff. Perhaps the internet.

What should you do if it happened? Probably nothing. Almost nothing it could have been laced with can kill you (unless you’re the unlucky recipient of some particularly nasty soapbar), and if so there’s almost nothing you can do about it anyway. Just wait it out, and you’ll probably feel fine after a few hours. If you’re genuinely concerned for your safety, try to take some scientific measures.

Have a third party (machine, friend or unsuspecting family member) check your pulse and (if possible) blood pressure, for example. If they’re around normal, don’t worry about anything. Many times it will feel like your heart is beating out of your chest, when in reality you have completely normal vitals. Otherwise, drink some water, eat some fruit, get some fresh air, and try to distract yourself. The number one cause of bad trips on psychedelics are over-thinking the trip. Weed is a mild psychedelic – treat it as such.

Obviously, if you genuinely think a current batch is tainted, just throw it out. If you are absolutely positive of the chemical (perhaps the drug dealer told you after the fact), look up the effects and dangers. If it’s possible to overdose on a fairly small dose, try to find out what the dosage was, and take appropriate action. But in nearly all cases, your intense high is just an innocuous weed high, and there’s no cause for concern.

For most people, about a week will suffice to accomplish the majority of the intended task. While cannabis does not entirely leave the system for multiple weeks, a majority of it will be gone in just 7 days. In this time, any residual effects from daily smoking should have passed, and you’ll feel fresh and alert.

*Note for the lazy: scroll to the bottom of the page to check out a handy little quick reference list

Not all, but most smokers report feeling lethargic and their minds somewhat clouded after chronic use of the chronic. I’m not going to pretend to know exactly how the chemicals interact with the complex system of synapses, cells and neurons within the brain. But suffice it to say that with consistent use, you will experience a “stacking effect” of sorts.

If you do not allow your brain sufficient recharge time, cannabinoid receptors will be unable to return to normal between your smokes (or preferred method of ingestion). They become conditioned to the chemical, much like your hands will build callouses after being conditioned to certain activities. This means your baseline will become higher and higher, forcing you to intake more and more of the substance to achieve your desired high. As many have already learned, this can take a hefty toll on the wallet and lungs.

This effect is not permanent, of course, or there would be a static progression of tolerance. This is not the case, and the solution to tolerance is as easy as avoiding cannabis for a short time. As mentioned, a week is the minimum to expel the majority of tolerance. To return entirely to baseline, however, is a much different story.

If you ask any smoker to recall their first experience with marijuana, you’ll likely be treated to a nostalgic recollection of an event not unlike a psychedelic trip. They’ll describe intense physical sensations, time dilation, vibrant closed or open eye visuals, etc. Many of them will also recognize that the experience was never repeated, and that subsequent use simply could not hold a candle to that virgin smoke.

There seems to be a deeper tolerance built up within users, far beyond the simple saturation of receptors. Even taking year-long breaks won’t allow for that visceral experience they had their first few times. So, is it even possible to achieve that experience again?

Yes and no. Taking a hefty break from cannabis will essentially reset your brain, allowing you to experience the full effects of the drug. However, since you’ve already opened those neural pathways in the past, you won’t be breaking into any new territory. So while you might be able to feel the same quality of high, that initial “magic” won’t ever return.

More intense experiences can be had by eating prepared weed, which allows the transformation of THC into a compound approximately 3-5 times stronger than the one produced when smoked. But while a couple of mom’s famous hash brownies might have you on the floor in a psychedelic wonderland, it’s still not exactly the same as that first high. You’ve been conditioned to the subjective effects of the drug, which means that as soon as you are aware you’ve ingested cannabis, your experience will be tainted.

The best you can hope for in a post-doobie noobie world is to reduce your natural tolerance down to zero. This won’t allow you to forget entirely what smoking was like (which would be necessary for a repeat of the first time), but it will allow you get as high as you possibly can right now.

Much disagreement is had on how long, exactly, that waiting period should be. I submit that you should look at the topic something like this:

• 1-4 day break – very minimal difference. If you’re a heavy smoker you’ll likely notice subtle effects, but nothing particularly noteworthy. It will be tantamount to changing strain, if that.
• 5-10 day break – Tangible difference. You’ll notice becoming much higher on a smaller amount of weed. Some of the more nuanced effects will return (temporarily), and you’ll probably stay higher for a considerably longer period of time.
• 20-30 day break – Significant difference. Your physical tolerance is effectively at zero. Since you’ve smoked fairly recently, you’ll still remember most of the effects but they will still be novel and exciting.
• 9-12 month break – Monumental difference. Not only will your physical tolerance have returned to zero long ago, you’ll have forgotten all but most prominent effects of the drug. This will allow you to experience the drug fully, with minimal pre-conceived notions about what will take place.
• Multiple years – I’ve never taken such a break, so I cannot speak on it. It will be as close as you can get to smoking for the first time all over again. Though I’ve heard reports that it’s still just not quite the same…

And while you’re there, check out their overview of the Mexican Cartel situation. What’s going on in Mexico is really appalling, and we’re more responsible than you might think.

Lotus

I’m too stoned to do anything but put the link there for you to click on. Maybe this would be different if I had used shrooms more often. You can find some trip reports of my experiences here in our archives.

Did you smoke in your younger days? Let us know whether you think it made you dumber by commenting below.

The shaman sits alone in a dimly-lit shack, only thin beams of sunlight penetrating the leather walls.  A look on his face reveals how removed he is from the outside world. Within his mind a connection is being made, however profound or illegitimate, to the spiritual realm. Communication is made between dead ancestors, deities, and even abstract concepts.

In the days before missionaries and indoctrination, thousands of these men and women existed, some even in places removed from all outside influences. Shamans are seen in anthropological history as a common figure throughout most cultures. They are looked upon with mystical reverence, though sometimes seen as a bit of an “other.” Their unique ability to connect to a spiritual realm makes them a desirable addition to a society, but it also has a tendency to cause hesitation in fully accepting them into a civilization.

Still, the shaman was generally considered simply a normal person, if one with a rare and difficult to comprehend profession. While they are sometimes paid well for their efforts (most times in food or other trade items), they generally still have to work hunting or farming just like all the others. Many times they have children and act as a completely typical member of society, however the solitary ones are not uncommon.

In our modern world of advanced medicine and science, the role of shaman has been replaced by men in lab coats, or doctors bearing needles and pills of now-commonplace synthetic chemicals to cure our ills. Though some of us still turn to a more modern version of a spiritual leader, it’s one who doesn’t communicate with an alternate reality, they simply fantasize about it.

It’s a tragic loss, one that is magnified by the common perception that people who attempt to communicate with alternate realities are weird, crazy, or worse, junkies. This brings about an important question to me, one that most likely has a fairly depressing answer. What has become of the shaman, a person once revered and thought as integral to humanity as we know it? And the follow up to that; what will become of the collective human psyche without them?

I believe the first question, at least, is fairly easily answered. It started with the advent of religions and societies that say, “this is how everything works, you can take our word for it. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” It’s a trite concept, but one that I think has at least some merit, that a major reason drugs are outlawed is to keep people from thinking too much. ‘They’ want you to keep working, playing and all around existing as ‘they’ want you to.

Whether or not a large conspiracy exists to keep the masses from having a spiritual awakening is up for debate. But it certainly seems that a large consequence of the disappearance of shamans and tolerable drug use is a near-complete cessation of any semblance of spiritual and shamanic experiences. Only a very small minority of “civilized society” makes any attempt at achieving a higher level (or at least a different level) of consciousness.

The second question, addressing the implications of that phenomenon, is much more difficult to pin down. It may contribute to the utter collapse of good will and human nature, or perhaps it will help all humans become logical, rational actors. Or, equally likely, it will have no perceivable effect whatsoever. One thing seems to stand out, however, when looking at the history of humans. We have generally always needed or, if nothing else, possessed, some sort of “larger than ourselves” concept to appreciate.

At first glance, the two ideas of logic and spirit don’t seem to be cohesive. We have all but eliminated the possibility of a sky-god, we seem to have pinned down the sun’s antics to a fair degree, and the cycles of weather and season don’t seem to mysticize us all that much anymore. It would appear that eventually science will outperform religion and spirituality on all or most explanations of the universe.

But that doesn’t rule out utilizing both at the same time. There are certain notions science may not ever address, some of which we couldn’t even begin to explain, let alone set up an experiment for. It has also been shown that while medicine is a true miracle, it isn’t necessarily the only means to an end. In some circumstances, shamanic healing has done just as much good as medicine could have. The brain is, after all, a very powerful tool.

Many of these mysterious, unintelligible notions can be experienced and discovered through the use of psychedelics. Natural psychedelics like psylocibe mushrooms, mescaline-containing cacti, DMT containing plants, tobacco, marijuana, and countless more have helped spirit-seekers achieve new planes of understanding since we’ve recorded history. There’s no reason the newer psychedelics, like LSD, the 2c series, the DO series and anything and everything else that exists or does not yet exist shouldn’t be shown the same attention.

Most psychedelic users would probably agree that something completely novel and sometimes magical seems to happen when they ingest their favorite chemical. However, even among many pro-psychedelic use people, it has become somewhat taboo to utilize them for any spiritual purpose. People who do so are sometimes stigmatized as new-age hippies at best, and amoral drug-addled junkies at worst.

In a different world, one focused more on meditation and cognitive understanding, psychedelics are used universally and with great reverence. Instead of turning to blind faith, people turn to a very real experience to cope with reality. In this fantasy, there exist a number of ‘shamanic’ individuals, who are more experienced than most with the art of the mind-expanding chemical use. When the average person needs guidance with a trip, or needs some abstract insight on a personal issue, they see this person.

The role a psychedelic enthusiast could have in modern society is one that could be very useful to our culture, and one that doesn’t necessarily involve strange, drugged-up individuals running rampant on the streets. They could be like the common shaman, simply an average citizen who happens to have a large hobby involving deep spiritual experiences.

It would naturally take a huge divergence from the current mainstream perception of drug use. Something generally reserved for experimental young adults. A pursuit that is essentially forbidden by any self-respecting, upstanding member of society. A pursuit that is, at best, looked upon as a phase to grow out of, and at worst a dangerous habit to be severely punished and outlawed.

Does it seem likely that psychedelics are a doorway to mystical dimensions, separate from and equal to our own? Well, perhaps when LSD still has a firm grip on your serotonin receptors. But in general, of course not. Can we make productive use of the strange, seemingly other-worldly, experiences they produce? Absolutely. Go forth, shamans of the modern era, experience what you can, and expand the collective human consciousness so that we may become more in tune with ourselves and our reality. After all, life is nothing but a chaotic molecule in the limited perception of an incomplete reality in an abstract universe.

Lotus

I am inevitably going to fail, as I am admittedly extremely biased towards the responsible use of drugs. I believe that almost any drug can be used responsibly, and if everyone was thoroughly educated on them, it would be much more common that people could do so. Drug education could also have loads of other positive effects, of course, including a reduced stigma, further research, and better addiction assistance, but that’s another topic entirely.

So without further delay, let’s begin!

For our purposes, I’m going to have three categories. The first is mostly non-addictive, low risk drugs, the second is moderately addictive/some risk, and the third is high addiction potential/high risk drugs.

First you’ll see the name of the drug, with nicknames next to it in parenthesis. Next will be the medical use, if any. Then addiction. I’ve rated addiction as follows: low means that most people cannot be addicted, and if they do, withdrawals will be relatively moderate. Moderate addiction means that most people can become addicted with frequent use/abuse of the drug, and withdrawal will usually be fairly uncomfortable, lasting a few days. Extreme means that the drug is highly addictive, and can take hold of a user within one or two uses of the drug. Withdrawal from these is very difficult, and can be accompanied by fevers, nausea, diarrhea; the works. Overdose potential is just to give an idea of how careful you should be with administration of the drug. Effects are a brief description of the psychoactive effects. You can find more detailed experiences of some drugs right here on Stoner Culture.

This list is mostly based on my experiences, or experiences that I have seen, and research I have done over the years. It is in no way reflective of every user, and as with any drug I highly suggest taking your own steps to ensure safe use of them. Keep in mind your own experiences, and your own limits.

1st Category

—————-

Drug:

• Cannabis (marijuana, pot, weed, dro, shwag, etc)

Medical use:

• Low–it can be used for for minor pain relief and insomnia, but is banned in most states.

Addiction potential:

• Low-most people will have no trouble quitting, some may experience mental addiction. Any withdrawal symptoms will generally be mild and disappear within 2-3 days

Overdose potential:

• None. It is physically impossible to overdose on cannabis.

Effects:

• Can vary from an upper to a downer to a psychedelic. Read the rest of this wonderful site to learn more. Lasts an hour or so, depending on other factors.

—

Drug:

• Lysergic Acid Dithylamide (LSD, acid, blotter, etc)

Medical use:

• None. Some research has been done showing promise of some psychiatric use, but there is not enough information at this time. It is banned in all states.

Addiction potential:

• Low–most people will actually be discouraged from frequent use, and the tolerance is so steep that it becomes nearly unusable after a few consecutive days

Overdose potential:

• Extremely low/none. There have been no confirmed LSD overdoses, and in most cases it would take absurd amounts of LSD to reach the LD50. It is feasible to do so, though.

Effects:

• Psychedelic trip. Altered perceptions of reality and visual patterns/coloring are common. Usually lasts about 6 hours for the peak, but the entire experience can last anywhere from 6-15 hours.

—

Drug:

• Mescaline (peyote, san pedro, etc)

Medical use:

• None. As with other psychedelics, not enough research has been done to have any conclusive evidence.

Addiction potential:

• Low–most people will actually be discouraged from frequent use, and the tolerance is so steep that it becomes nearly unusable after a few consecutive days

Overdose potential:

• Extremely low/none.

Effects:

• Psychedelic trip. Altered perceptions of reality and visual patterns/coloring are common. The peak usually lasts anywhere from 6-10 hours, and the entire experience has been reported to last up to 3 days.

—

Drug:

• Psilocybin (magic mushrooms, shrooms, etc)

Medical use:

• None. As with other psychedelics, not enough research has been done to have any conclusive evidence.

Addiction potential:

• Low–most people will actually be discouraged from frequent use, and the tolerance is so steep that it becomes nearly unusable after a few consecutive days

Overdose potential:

• Extremely low/none.

Effects:

• Psychedelic trip. Altered perceptions of reality and visual patterns/coloring are common. Usually lasts 4 hours for the peak, but the entire experience can be anywhere from 4-10 hours.

—

Drug:

• DXM (tussin, robotrip, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–used as a cough medicine.

Addiction:

• Low to moderate–most users will have no addiction, but it can be addictive to some especially if used frequently. The tolerance has a long recoup time, however.

Overdose potential:

• Low. It would take a significant amount of DXM to overdose. You would need approximately 5 times the normal trip dose to overdose in most cases.

Effects:

• Dissociative with some psychedelic properties. Nausea will sometimes be present. Visuals and different perceptions of reality are common. Usually lasts about 4 hours.

—

Drug:

• Nitrous Oxide (hippy crack, laughing gas, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–occassionally used in dentistry to anesthetize patients.

Addiction potential:

• Low to moderate–it is fairly addictive in the short term, and with consistent use can be fairly addictive.

Overdose potential:

• None

Effects:

• Pain killer with some psychedelic properties. Usually a huge boost of well being.

—

Drug:

• Dimethyltryptahmine (DMT, spice, etc)

Medical use:

• None.

Addiction potential:

• Extremely Low–most people will actually be discouraged from frequent use, and the tolerance is so steep that it becomes nearly unusable after a few consecutive uses

Overdose potential:

• None.

Effects:

• Intense, short acting psychedelic. Visuals and different perceptions of reality are common. Usually lasts about 15-30 minutes, and the entire experience lasts up to an hour and a half.

—

Drug:

• MDMA (ecstasy, x, rolls, candy, etc)

Medical use:

• Low/none–MDMA was once prescribed by psychiatrists for a number of experimental reasons, including marriage counseling and depression. It is now banned in all states

Addiction potential:

• Low to moderate–Some people can become addicted to MDMA, and it is a relatively dangerous addiction. Brain damage is rare, but not unheard of in some situations.

Overdose potential:

• Low–The main issue with MDMA is forgetting what you’re doing and over– exerting or dehydrating yourself. However, you can overdose on extremely high amounts, and it can induce high heart rates, blood pressure, and panic attacks.

Effects:

• Intense euphoria. Tactile senses are heightened, as are most other senses. Usually lasts about 4-5 hours.

2nd Category:

——————-

Drug:

• Low intensity opiates (hydrocodone, codeine syrup, vicodin, watson, codeine, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–Can be used for mild to moderate pain

Addiction:

• Moderate–With frequent use most users will become physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal will usually be fairly difficult, but in some cases can be extreme

Overdose Potential:

• Low to moderate–It would take a huge amount of hydrocodone to overdose, however most pills have acetaminophen which is toxic in high doses. Doses as high as 4 grams are generally considered safe as far as one time uses, but prolonged uses can lead to severe liver damage.

Effects:

• Pain killer, usually inflicts a feeling of warmth and well-being in the user. Usually lasts about 6 hours

—

Drug:

• Benzodiazepine (xanax, valium, bars, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–Can be used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. In rare cases it is prescribed for insomnia

Addiction:

• Moderate–With frequent use most users will become physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal can range from less difficult to extreme

Overdose potential:

• Low–It is difficult to overdose on benzodiazepines alone, but combined with alcohol or opiates it can be very dangerous. Also, at high doses most people experience blackouts.

Effects:

• Removed inhibitions, usually inflicts feelings of well-being and comfort. Usually lasts about 8 hours

—

Drug:

• Ketamine (special K)

Medical Use:

• Moderate–used extensively as a general anesthetic, especially in lower income countries. Mostly used in America in veterinarian offices, though occasionally for surgery on children and rarely on adults.

Addiction:

• Low to moderate–Many users will experience addiction with extensive use of the drug, however, with some restraint most people will find it is not heavily addictive.

Overdose Potential:

• Low–It is extremely unlikely that one would overdose on this drug. It would require an exceedingly high dose, and the average person would pass out long before they succeeded. It would require a third party to dose the subject after they passed out.

Effects:

• Dissociative with sedative and psychedelic effects. Lasts approximately 1 hour, depending on method of administration.

Drug:

• Amphetamine salts, Dextroamphetamine (adderall, concerta, etc).

Medical use:

• Moderate–Can be used to treat ADD/ADHD, or to help focus.

Addiction:

• Moderate–With frequent use most users will become either physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal is usually not extreme.

Overdose potential:

• Low to moderate: High doses of amphetamines can cause high heart rates and blood pressure, which combined with exercise can lead to heart problems in the short term.

Effects:

• Increased focus, sometimes a sense of well-being is inflicted. Usually lasts about 8 hours

—

Drug:

• Alcohol (booze, beer, liquor, etc)

Medical use:

• None.

Addiction:

• Moderate to high–With frequent use most users will become either physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal can be extremely dangerous, and it is one of two drugs that has a potentially deadly withdrawal (the other being barbiturates).

Overdose potential:

• Moderate–it is very possible to overdose on alcohol, and relatively easy if you are an unexperienced drinker.

Effects:

• Downer, usually with sedative effects and decreased inhibitions. Usually lasts about 4 hours.

—

Drug:

• Tramadol (ultram, trammies, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–Mild to moderate pain killer

Addiction:

• Moderate–With frequent use most users will become either physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal is usually not extreme.

Overdose potential:

• Moderate–The biggest risk with tramadol is taking too much and inducing a seizure. If you stay within a lower dose, you should be completely safe, but if you have a history of seizures or plan on taking a significantly higher amount than normal, I would recommend against it.

Effects:

• Pain killer, the user will usually feel a heightened sense of well–being, and will be put into an overall good mood.

3rd Category:

——————-

Drug:

• Morphine or intense opiates (heroin, oxycodone, smack, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–Can be used for intense pain, usually for very brief times after traumatic injury

Addiction:

• High–Addiction can be sparked with very low use, and will usually result in extreme withdrawal. Addiction will vary depending on which method of ingestion is used.

Overdose potential:

• High–It is fairly easy to overdose, especially for experienced users who take a break and whose tolerance may have dropped without their knowledge.

Effects:

• Very strong pain killer, usually inflicts intense feelings of warmth and well- being in the user. Can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on method of ingestion.

—

Drug:

• Cocaine (white, coke, crack, etc)

Medical use:

• Limited–some analogues like novocaine can be used as a localized anesthetic, but are fairly rare and usually single use

Addiction:

• High–Addiction can be sparked with very low use, and can result in extreme withdrawal. Addiction will vary depending on which method of ingestion is used.

Overdose potential:

• Moderate to high–Due to variance in quality, it is sometimes easy to overdose on product that is much stronger than expected, especially in high doses.

Effects:

• Removed inhibitions, extreme sense of well being. Usually lasts about 30 minutes to an hour.

—

Drug:

• Methamphetamine (speed, meth, etc)

Medical use:

• Limited–in very rare cases it can be prescribed for ADD under the name desoxyn.

Addiction:

• High–addiction can be sparked with very low use, and will usually result in extreme withdrawal. Addiction will vary depending on which method of ingestion is used.

Overdose potential:

• Low to moderate–as with all amphetamines, high heart rates plus a desire to achieve can lead to short term heart problems

Effects:

• Rush of energy and desire to accomplish things. Usually gives the user a sense of well-being and happiness. Can last anywhere from hours to days.

—

Drug:

• Datura Stramonium (jimson weed, angel’s trumpet, etc)

Medical use:

• None

Addiction:

• None

Overdose potential:

• Extremely high–it is nearly impossible to properly estimate a dose, as one seed can contain anywhere from no active chemical to enough to overdose on. Overdoses are extremely common.

Effects:

• Deliriant. Can last for days, the user will usually not realize that he or she is a part of reality. The vast majority of experiences are extremely unpleasant and hospitalizations are not uncommon.

I hope this list can be of use to some people, as drug information is usually sparse, incomplete, and unreliable. I plan to update this later on, and provide more information.

-Lotus

From the article:

Scientists from Ohio State University report that marijuana, contrary to the conventional wisdom,  may help ward off Alzheimer’s and keep recall sharp. Their findings, released today at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington D.C.:  chemical components  of marijuana reduce inflammation and stimulate the production of new brain cells, thereby enhancing memory.