|
|
Magic Mushrooms ('shrooms, mushies)
Magic mushrooms are a powerful, naturally occurring hallucinogenic.
There are about a dozen varieties of hallucinogenic mushrooms found growing in the wild in the UK, the most popular being the 'Liberty Cap' (Psilocybe Semilanceata). The harvesting season is between September and November. After picking, mushrooms are usually eaten raw, cooked, made into a drink, or dried for later consumption. They are usually sold loose in bags or crushed into tablets.
The effects of mushrooms are very similar to acid, although some report a more 'natural' high sometimes with a feeling of being detached. Small doses can bring on excitement and euphoria, while bigger doses (30 mushrooms or more) can bring on shape and colour distortions and vivid hallucinations.
Side effects: Much the same as acid. Some users complain of nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pains. Like all hallucinogenics, how good or bad your trip will be can be affected by who you are with, where you are and how you're feeling at the time. Some people also report flashbacks. It is important to be in a safe environment as some people can panic and get confused.
GBH
GHB is essentially an anaesthetic that can have unpredictable results depending on your mood
GHB is usually sold in small plastic containers and consumed in capfuls. A small capful can make you feel uninhibited, exhilarated, relaxed and feeling good with the effects lasting as long as day. Bigger doses can lead to disorientation, nausea, a numbing of the muscles and vomiting.
The drug can take anything from 10 minutes to an hour to take effect, so wait until the first hit kicks in before taking any more. Its strength varies wildly, so always take a small amount first.
2CB (and 2-CT-7)
2CB is normally sold as a 5mg pill with many users taking several at a time. Its effects are likened to ecstasy with heightened visual imagery, increased bodily awareness and sensitivity and an increased sex drive. Effects normally last for around 2-8 hours.
Some people report that taking 2CBs with Ecstasy (often called a 'party pack') can attenuate the hit.
Side effects: The effect is cumulative (i.e. the more you take the stronger the effects) and taking over 3-5 tablets can cause very powerful hallucinations which some find very disturbing. As with all drugs, how you feel and where you are can all play a part in how you are affected by the drug.
2-CT-7
Is a much less well known drug that has been described as giving a slightly stronger trip than 2CB (somewhere between ecstasy and LSD). Coming in the form of pills and in Amsterdam it is currently legal, its strength can be deceptive and many have suffered strong hallucinations - sometimes paranoid. We advise caution - especially if you are not sure about the quality.
MT (Businessman's Lunch)
DMT is a very powerful hallucinogen that kicks in very quickly and can produce a very strong trip that usually lasts between 10-30 minutes.
Heart rate and blood pressure increase dramatically and there is a feeling of exhilaration and confusion. Some people are overcome by the strength of the drug, and it is important to feel safe and relaxed in your environment, preferably with a friend to look out for you.
Side effects: Some people have become very scared and paranoid after taking DMT. Its effects can be very disorientating resulting in panic and confusion.
Crystal (crystal methamphetamine, tina, crystal meths, krank, tweak, ice)
Crystal meth is an intensive stimulant with disinhibitory qualities
Once very big amongst some of the US gay community but now spreading fast into mainstream culture, meth was originally used by bikers and truckers to stay awake on long journeys. Crystal is made of highly volatile, toxic substances (based on such chemical "precursors" as methylamine and amyl amine) that are melded in differing combinations, forming what some have described as a "mix of laundry detergent and lighter fluid."
The mixes are never exactly the same, but basic types are a rough yellow substance called Hydro and a smooth white blend called Glass.
The drug can either be snorted or injected, or in its crystal form 'ice' smoked in a pipe, and brings on a feeling of exhilaration and a sharpening of focus. Smoking ice results in an instantaneous dose of almost pure drug to the brain, giving a huge rush followed by a feeling of euphoria for anything from 2-16 hours.
For some this could result in obsessive cleaning or tidying, but for many the biggest bonus is the sense of sexual liberation which can result in mad, abandoned sex for hours - sometimes days - on end.
It's ability to keep users awake and feeling good for long periods have resulted in the drug making heavy inroads into the US gay dance scene, although its use is still rare in the UK.
Side effects: The biggest risk is from the increased chance of HIV infection through unprotected and uninhibited sex while under the influence of meth. The liberating nature of the drug means that often safe sex is discarded while sexual activity increases greatly. It has been reported in the States that in almost half of the new AIDS cases, crystal meth has been a factor.
Smoking ice results in body temperature rises and rapid cardiac and respiratory rates developing as the blood pressure increases. The drug can lead to hallucinations, paranoia, and bizarre, aggressive and psychotic behaviour.
Rohypnol (roofies, 'date-rape' drug)
Rohypnol is a prescription-only sedative that has been used in many 'date rapes' in the US, with cases now being reported in France and Australia.
Rohypnol's medical use is as a pre-operation anaesthetic or strong sleeping pill, but stronger doses can bring on amnesia. It takes effect very quickly - sometimes as quick as 10 minutes after being taken - and reaches its peak eight hours later when it can render a person totally unconscious. It's about ten times stronger than Valium.
Coming in the form of a tasteless and odourless pill which is easily ground down into powder, rohypnol has gained notoriety as the 'date rape' drug, after victims have been incapacitated and sexually assaulted after having their drinks spiked. All traces of the drug disappear after 24 hours making prosecution difficult.
Rohypnol has also been used in combination with other drugs to enhance the effects of low grade heroin, to mellow the buzz from crack and heroin, and to soften comedowns.
The drug has also acquired a reputation as a party drug, sometimes dubbed the 'love drug'. This is due to its claimed aphrodisiac qualities and because some users say that it gets you more drunk and keeps you that way longer.
It is still very rare in the UK, but in the US it has a street price of around $2-4 per tablet.
Side effects: The most worrying side effect of rohypnol is that it can easily be administered without the victims knowledge and lengthy sexual assaults can take place with the victim having no memory of events afterwards. In many cases, victims are even unaware that assaults have taken place until their symptoms are recognised or their memory returns. It's a very nasty drug. Be very wary of accepting opened drinks from strangers or people you don't trust, even if they are only soft drinks.
Solvents (fast drying glues and adhesives, assorted paint and petroleum products, lighter fluid, dry-cleaning fluids, assorted aerosol sprays, surgical spirit, cleaners etc.)
Solvent abuse involves inhaling the fumes from domestic and industrial products creating a strong intoxication.
Traditionally referred to as 'glue sniffing', the vast majority of solvent abusers are between the ages of 11-16 and usually male. The most common method of inhaling solvents is by inhaling them from a plastic bag which is placed over the face.
A feeling of strong intoxication kicks in almost immediately with some users experiencing hallucinations. The effects are short lived, resulting in the prospect of repeated abuse.
Side effects: Solvent abuse can result in a dazed appearance, unsteadiness, slurred speech and unpredictable behaviour. There is a real risk of vomiting, choking and possibly unconsciousness. At the very least, expect a king size head ache, and a less than handsome red rash around the mouth.
4MTA (MTA-1, flatliners)
Despite hysterical newspaper reports suggesting that 4MTA is '33 times more potent than ecstasy', 4MTA is in fact a recent legally-developed slimming aid and anti-depressant.
Legally on sale in Amsterdam until 1998 (it was taken out of the stores when owners realised that it had only ever been tested on rats), 4MTA usually comes in tablet form, with effects lasting anything up to 8 hours.
Users have described 4MTA as giving a steady increase in energy and a 'Prozac-like mental calm'.