Erowid Extracts

28 Pages·2012·4.53 MB·English

by  Erowid Center

E E
rowid x t racts
Documenting the complex Relationship Between humans anD psychoactives
June 2012 Number 22
Three Weeks of Plant Geekery: An Australia Travelogue • Psychoactive Stamps
A Study of Four Cathinones • Vision: What Erowid Center Does and Why We Do It
Letters & Feedback
“Your website played a large part in my “Erowid is a non-profit that’s primarily “Thanks for all of your work, guys. I
development as an inquisitive student known for their website which provides have never made a donation online
and lover of science.” non-biased information about psycho- to any cause before, and I felt it was
active chemicals. Erowid is arguably time. The possible lives that have been
— DM
the single most important source for saved and bad experiences avoided,
Erowid Member
information about these chemicals at the very least, are enough to make
today, and is responsible for helping this information worthwhile. Even
“I try to share my copy of Erowid millions of people every month to make those who oppose drug use completely
Extracts at my place of business to safer and healthier choices about the should find solace in the fact that
open people’s minds and increase drugs they use, both prescription and people can educate themselves on the
awareness of your important website.” recreational. Even for people who get benefits and risks before partaking in
their information about drugs from this kind of behavior. Society needs to
— MB
talking to a knowledgeable friend, odds be educated, even at the fringes.”
Erowid Member
are that one way or another that friend
— JO
got much of their information from
Erowid Member
“I am an addictions counselor. Thanks Erowid. Not only is this an organiza-
for your outstanding work and help tion that’s keeping countless people
with my job.” safe, it’s become so pervasive that it’s “The best hope for humanity in these
literally saving the lives of people who dark times is the free exchange of
— PC
have never even heard of them, almost knowledge.”
Erowid Member
certainly including people you know.”
— BC
— ALEX3917 Erowid Member
“Several years ago, you were the first
Review at Guidestar.org
people I turned to for advice when I
embarked on my quest for an effective “You guys have provided an invaluable
treatment for chronic pain, and my “Thank you for all of your work, for service over the last ~6 years since I
gratitude will always remain.” making it free, and for believing and discovered you. You are letting people
continuing on what you believe in! be safe and responsible about their
— C
Truth is one of the most important drug usage. I only hope that some
Erowid Member
things one person can give to another, day our government will institute a
and that is what your site is about. […] mature system like this when it comes
“This website has informed me for Here’s to hopefully many more years to drug policy. Safe access to reliable
the last ten years. It has helped me of education and truth!” information is 1,000 times better than
make safer, smarter decisions and keeping everyone in the dark.”
— EM
has entertained me. Keep up the
Erowid Supporter — DE
good work! One of the most important
Erowid Member
websites in my life…”
“I am a youngish lady from England,
— HP
and as a mostly solo ‘traveller’ I am “Erowid (www.erowid.org)—extensive
Erowid Member
grateful to the Erowid community for database of expert and user opinions
all of the information about doses, on various legal, prescribed, and illegal
“People come to you for the truth, experiences, preparations, etc. It is substances.”
and you’ve saved many lives because hard to get honest, balanced, and clear
— AR WINSTOCK & L MITCHESON
of it. Not making substances out to info about drugs in the social and legal
“New recreational drugs and the
be any more dangerous or safe than climate we live in and I am very glad to
primary care approach to patients who
what they are, and allowing everyone have Erowid to help make my journeys
use them”. BMJ. 2012; 344:e288.
to share their experiences, good or as safe and well-informed as they can
bad. It’s a great thing you guys are be. Thanks Erowid.”
doing […].”
— JO
— F Erowid Member
Email from Visitor
Send correspondence to:
“Thank you very much for all you do [email protected]
“My motto is, ‘an informed user is a for the harm reduction/substance user
safe user’. You have been an invaluable community. You are doing a great job. Please include your name, title,
resource for me since my teenage I hope you will be around for many and city/state/country of origin to be
years.” years to come […].” published with your letter. Letters
may be edited for length and clarity.
— EG — MICHAEL PITTAS
Erowid Supporter Erowid Member
)ii Erowid Extracts — Number 22 / June 2012
Table of Contents Erowid Extracts
Number 22, June 2012
Letters & Feedback ................................................................................................ )
News & Updates ...................................................................................................... 2 Founder, Editor in Chief Fire Erowid
Founder, Executive Editor Earth Erowid
TOR and Online Drug Marketplaces ....................................................... 2
Managing Editor Sylvia Thyssen
UK Uses New Powers to Ban MXE ............................................................ 2
Managing Editor Jon Hanna
MDMA & Autism Research .......................................................................... 2
Crew
Archiving Updates ............................................................................................... 3
Bläk, JL, Plutonic, Psilo, Kernel
Stolaroff Collection Milestone Reached .............................................. 3
Associate Editors
Back at the Shulgin Farm... ...................................................................... 3 Zachawry, RevMeo, rj
Psychoactive Stamps: People, Plants, and Postage ................................. 4 Experience Collection - Senior Editor
Antheia
Vision: What Erowid Center Does and Why We Do It ................................ 6
Experience Collection - Reviewers
Charting the Relatively Unknown: A Study of Four Cathinones ............ 8
Abrad, Akhenaten, Moetsukiru, Hazzy,
Three Weeks of Plant Geekery: An Australia Travelogue ......................... 12 Biglo, Peregrine
Plasma and Smooth Metal: An Experience with 3-MeO-PCP ................. 20 Experience Collection - Triagers
LotN, Elmar, Toaster, Selggurkim, Aetherolea,
The Distillation ........................................................................................................ 22
Hazzy, Kalle, Revelator, NightNine, Mantra, Spent,
Watching the Metrics ................................................................................... 23 Bdoodle, Israelite7, Danger, Harmony, Pearl,
Water, Jaggerjack, Survival, Destroyfx, Fnord,
Erowid Reusable Grocery Bag ................................................................... 24 Murple, Arpana, NickFlyer, Keith, Magiktreez,
Aqua, Lizard, Sugarmagnoliagirl, Cutepuppy,
Erowid Mobile Apps ...................................................................................... 25
ScAb13, Yucatanboy, Dendron, Uil
Erowid Extracts is the members’ newsletter
Erowid Center’s mission is to provide and facilitate access to objective, of Erowid Center. It has been published twice
accurate, and non-judgmental information about plants, chemicals, a year since May 2001. If you are interested
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Know Your Body
Cover Image Credits: 1) Tobacco Drying Sheds—Erowid; 2) Anadenanthera Know Your Mind
colubrina—Erowid; 3) R. Gordon Wasson Postage Stamp—Scan by
Know Your Substance
Jon Hanna; 4) 3-MeO-PCP Collage—Jon Hanna; 5) Acacia phlebophylla—
Know Your Source
Erowid; 6) Ethylcathinone Vial—John Cocktoasten; 7) EGA Dome—Erowid
Erowid Extracts — Number 22 / June 2012
news & updates
TOR and Online Drug Marketplaces UK Uses New Powers to Ban MXE MDMA & Autism Research
As commerce and socializing shift In April 2012, the British Home MDMA has a reputation for
towards being conducted online, so do Office debuted new regulatory powers increasing sociability, feelings of
the sales of illegal drugs. In April 2012, and controlled methoxetamine (MXE) empathy, and psychological insights.
the US Attorney’s office announced with only one week prior public Alicia Danforth, a clinical psychology
that it is prosecuting the operators of a notification. Now designated as a PhD candidate at the Institute of
website called “the Farmer’s Market” for “temporary class drug”, MXE is illegal Transpersonal Psychology, is currently
selling controlled substances including to sell or import, but not to possess. conducting a survey study for her
LSD, ecstasy, and ketamine. Beginning In 2009, the Advisory Council on doctoral dissertation investigating the
in 2006, this group communicated with the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) had a therapeutic potential of MDMA as a
customers using Hushmail; in 2010 they disagreement with the Home Office, support for social skills challenges or
switched to Tor. resulting in the removal of its chairman, commonly co-occurring problems (such
Originally built by the US Navy, David Nutt. In 2011, Parliament passed as anxiety and depression) among adults
Tor is funded partially by the US a new law, the Police Reform and Social on the autism spectrum, including but
Department of Defense to provide Responsibility Act (PRSRA), which not limited to Asperger’s syndrome.
privacy support for dissidents and stripped power from the ACMD and No formal studies looking at the use
government agents worldwide. Tor largely transformed it from an expert of MDMA by this population have
(initially an acronym for “The Onion advisory panel into a rubber-stamping previously been published.
Router”) allows websites, file sharing, agency for Home Office policies. The study seeks to survey people
and communications to be conducted Along with making changes to between the ages of 21 and 75 who
through a network of servers, which the ACMD, the PRSRA conferred are autistic or who have Asperger’s
encrypt and anonymize information emergency drug control authority to syndrome, and who have no history
packets multiple times between the the Home Office by creating a new of major psychotic disorder. Survey
sender and receiver. When handled category of controlled substance, the participants are sought who meet these
expertly, a website run through Tor can “temporary class drug”. Under this criteria and who have either (1) never
be nearly impossible to locate physically, Act, each temporary control order taken MDMA; or (2) have taken MDMA
and its users’ identities are masked. must be submitted to and approved by no more than 50 times, with their last use
Though using Tor to host a shopping Parliament within 40 days of issuance. having occurred within the past 15 years.
cart for illegal drugs provides anonymity While it requires that the Home Participants are asked to respond to
for that part of the process, receiving Office consult with the weakened several confidential online questionnaires,
payments or products is where law ACMD (or solely the chairperson of which take about an hour to complete. In
enforcement usually steps in. The the ACMD, if the matter is deemed addition, approximately 30 respondents
Farmer’s Market used PayPal and “urgent”), the Act does not impose a who indicate their willingness will be
Western Union to take payments, and waiting period or require that the public invited to participate in a one-hour Skype
both of these methods are tracked. The be notified of an upcoming emergency interview with Danforth.
Farmer’s Market also allegedly sold drug control. Results from the study may
LSD to undercover DEA agents in In the case of methoxetamine, the increase knowledge about how people
exchange for cash sent to an address Home Office announced on March 6, with autism and Asperger’s syndrome
in Iowa. 2012 that it was referring the issue of experience life in general, and how they
As the web continues to mature and the drug’s control to the ACMD. On respond to MDMA. Participants who
develop, new tools making it possible March 28, the Home Office announced have taken MDMA may come to better
for non-technical people to use state- it was issuing a temporary class drug understand the influence that these
of-the-art anonymity and encryption order; on March 30 it published a experiences have had on their lives,
go hand in hand with an increased “circular” finalizing a twelve-month which may include changes in how
presence of law enforcement tracking period of emergency control effective they relate to others and think about
systems. These busts stand as a reminder April 5, 2012. themselves. Those who complete all
that unbreakable endpoint-to-endpoint This temporary class drug of the surveys can receive a summary
security provides no protection if one of order for methoxetamine is the first of key findings once the study is
the parties to the secure communication implementation of the United Kingdom’s completed. See Danforthresearch.com
• • •
is an undercover adversary. new emergency drug control powers. for more information.
2 Erowid Extracts — Number 22 / June 2012
Stolaroff Collection Milestone Reached
In March 2012, Erowid completed the
time-consuming task of indexing the 5,000+ documents
that have been digitized from the Stolaroff Collection.
This brings us another big step closer to making the
collection available online. Late that same month, Jon
Hanna and Tania Manning traveled to the Stolaroffs’
home in Lone Pine, California, to deliver a hardcopy
of this index (there is no Internet access at their home).
They took the opportunity to wish Myron’s wife
Jean a happy birthday and videotape an interview with
her, exploring the time when she and her husband first
started dating and in what ways she felt psychedelic
experiences had influenced their relationship. They
also reviewed with Jean a number of photos that were
scanned as a part of the Collection, to fill in some
missing details about these pictures.
During their visit, Jon discovered a number of Jean, Tania, and Jon hike the hills near Lone Pine.
Photo by David Arnson
relevant audio cassettes. Erowid borrowed 44 tapes,
in order to have them digitized and catalogued.
Recorded between 1979 and 1988, these tapes of
talks and interviews feature Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, Among the tapes was a recording made at a 1988
Riane Eisler, Jean Houston, Rick Ingrasci, Oscar Janiger, memorial held for Leo Zeff, the underground psychedelic
Paul Krassner, Stanley Krippner, Timothy Leary, John Lilly, psychotherapist who Myron profiled in The Secret Chief.
Terence McKenna, Ralph Metzner, Rupert Sheldrake, Sasha Erowid has published an excerpt from this recording in the
Shulgin, David Steindl-Rast, Roy Tuckman, Frances Vaughan, Stolaroff Collection, wherein Terence McKenna explains why
•
Alan Watts, Andrew Weil, and others. he nicknamed Zeff “the Secret Chief”.
ARCHIVING UPDATES
Back at the Shulgin Farm… during a layover, while Earth, Fire,
As Erowid continues the and Jon got a chance to visit with him
process of scanning, redacting, and at the Shulgins’. We were all pleased
transcribing Sasha Shulgin’s lab to get to know him better and discuss
books, it seemed appropriate to garner the future course of the transcribing
an invitation to the Shulgins’ yearly project in person.
Easter party for one of our most Earlier in the year, Sylvia also
dedicated volunteers: Shawn. Over the visited the Shulgin farm, helping
past two years, Shawn has put in more Tania sort and scan a few documents
than a thousand hours deciphering from the lifetime of materials that
Sasha’s handwriting and manually the Shulgins have collected. They
transcribing his notebooks into our focused on publications related to
digital database. Erowid arranged for early 1970s drug testing programs
Shawn to travel from Canada, where in the United States, such as the St.
he works as an electrician, to Northern Petersburg Free Clinic Drug Analysis
California for a few days, so that he Project of Florida and the Street
would have the opportunity to meet Drug Identification Program, a joint
Sasha and Ann. In addition, he met project of USC Medical Center and
Team Shulgin principals, Paul Daley Los Angeles County. Having access to
and Tania Manning, and spent some these publications will help Erowid in
Alicia & Shawn at the Shulgin Farm
time with the core Erowid crew. Sylvia researching the history of street drug
Photo by Jon Hanna •
met Shawn at the Portland airport analysis.
EErroowwiidd EExxttrraaccttss —— NNuummbbeerr 2222 // JJuunnee 22001122 3
Psychoactive Stamps
People, Plants, and Postage
by Jon Hanna
Psychoactive drug historian Michael Intrigued by the possibility of In contrast, the French government
Horowitz recently brought to Erowid’s “psychoactive stamps”, I expanded the issued a 30-centime stamp honoring Jean
attention some 2011 postage from the inquiry: What, if any, known psychoactive Nicot, the man who introduced tobacco
Republic of Togo depicting R. Gordon plants are pictured on postage? Quite a to France in 1560, and whose name was
Wasson. He raised the question: Was this few, actually. Considering its historic lent to both the plant genus (Nicotiana)
the first time that an entheogenic explorer importance within the United States, and its primary psychoactive component
had been honored on a stamp? tobacco quickly sprang to mind as (nicotine).
The answer depends on who qualifies a likely candidate. Surprisingly, the Ebert’s warning raises an amusing
as an “entheogenic explorer”. More opposite appears to be the case. In his alternate concern: Could psychoactive
than one country has issued postage blog for the Chicago Sun-Times, movie plants lure a person into the clutches of
featuring psychedelic-using musicians critic Roger Ebert quips: stamp collecting? It seemed so innocent,
such as Jerry Garcia and the Grateful yet it could have a tragic effect on one’s
Dead, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, and “We are all familiar, I am sure, with pocketbook. Alas, I was hooked before I
the countless children and teenagers
Bob Marley. Entheocognoscenti from bought my first stamp.
who have been lured into the clutches of
the literary world have, to date, only With tobacco perhaps out of the
tobacco by stamp collecting, which seems
been showcased on “art stamps”. Such picture, what about opium? I needed a
so innocent, yet can have such tragic
fake postage has depicted William fix. Just a couple stamps, even if they
outcomes.”4
S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg1 and were only available in digital form. What
Timothy Leary,2 among others, and a Ebert’s sarcasm refers to the 2008 could it hurt? Thankfully, I was able to
faux stamp of Ken Kesey is the focus Michael Deas portrait of Betty Davis score. Papaver somniferum was first
of a blotter acid design.3 However, commissioned by the US Postal Service dealt to the USPS by Moina Michael.
considering only official postage and for use on a 42¢ stamp. Though the image Inspired in 1918 by John McCrae’s poem
individuals primarily famous for their is based on a well-known still from her “In Flanders Field”, she conceived of
psychoactive work, R. Gordon Wasson film All About Eve, Davis’s ever-present the idea of selling poppies on Memorial
is the pioneer of postal personalities. iconic cigarette has vanished from Day to raise funds for disabled veterans.
Deas’s painting. Her Printed in red ink, the opium poppy
gloved hand remains and Michael’s face were offered on a
teasingly poised “in 3¢ US stamp in 1948. (A $1.20 stamp
the position”, sans from Australia continued this theme in
smoke. Fourteen 2011, featuring red poppies, text from
years earlier, Robert McCrae’s poem, and the silhouette of
Johnson, King of the two soldiers.) The second stateside poppy
Delta Blues Singers, postage was a 32¢ stamp issued in 1996
had the cigarette with a Georgia O’Keeffe flower on it.
plucked from his lips “My name is Jon, and I’m a
by USPS censors in pharmacophilatelist.” From online ogling
his portrait for a 29¢ to casual collecting, opium art was the
stamp. The meager gateway. With its beautiful black poppy
photographic record pod overlaid with a human skull, a stamp
of this legendary issued by the United Nations and flanked
American guitarist by the slogan “Stop Drug Abuse” opened
makes Johnson’s up the world of prohibitionist postage.
missing smoke feel There was an 8¢ “Prevent Drug Abuse”
even more like the stamp (1971) and an 18¢ “Alcoholism:
hand of Big Brother You can beat it!” stamp (1981), both from
at work. the USPS. Additional anti-drug stamps
4 Erowid Extracts — Number 22 / June 2012
came from Brazil and Italy, with the star
of the bunch hailing from Macedonia:
a scarecrow made of pipes lashed to
syringes. Flanked by poppy pods and
wearing a capsule-filled bandolier,
ghostly skull-shaped smoke clouds issue
from one of his pipes, as the needle of his
hypodermic hand pierces money dripping
with blood. Additional pills lay scattered
at his feet.
While other countries produce
anti-drug stamps, the search for postage
that did not portray psychoactive plants
in a negative light was more compelling.
As it turns out, there are more than
one might expect. A nightshade, a
showy passionflower, and a Peruvian
tobacco stamp that I happily purchased
were followed by another featuring a
tobacco pouch. Then came a stamp from
Dominica celebrating the introduction
of coffee, three from the Republic of
Togo focused on Theobroma cacao any mail. Since no obvious connection stamps. Diverting some stamps from
(chocolate), a couple of beautiful peyote exists between Togo and R. Gordon my stash, I sent an old-fashioned letter
stamps (one from Russia, one from Wasson, it’s possible that their decision to the Swiss Post, suggesting that they
Vietnam), and even a Gymnopilus to honor his mushroomic work stemmed appropriately honor the good doctor by
spectabilis stamp from Cambodia. As in part from this monetary perspective. placing his picture on a stamp. In the
it turns out, mushrooms are the mother This sparked an idea: Along with their arena of postal history, the Swiss have
lode for drug-stamp geeks; I harvested chocolate, cheese, watches, and knives, the chance to come in second again! And
four Amanita pantherina and nine the Swiss are renowned for their savvy seeing Hofmann’s mug featured on small,
A. muscaria. financial dealings. And really, who perforated pieces of paper feels like an
•
could be more deserving of having his entirely appropriate tribute.
image on a stamp than the man whose
If Wasson,
contributions so profoundly impacted the References
Why Not Hofmann?
studies of neurochemistry, psychology, 1. Literary Kicks: the Postage Stamp Series.
Uncancelled “mint” stamps that end and spirituality, Switzerland’s national litkicks.com/PostageStamps
up in private collections are nearly pure treasure (and Wasson’s colleague), 2. Freaking News Photoshop Contests.
profit for the issuing country, which gets Dr. Albert Hofmann. In the spring freakingnews.com/Timothy-Leary-Pictures-
8089.asp
the money without having to deliver of 1843, one hundred years before
3. Ken Kesey Postage Stamp Blotter Art.
Hofmann’s infamous bicycle ride
key-z.com/special.html
—and following the United Kingdom’s
4. Roger Ebert’s Journal: Thank You for
lead—Switzerland became the second
smoking. blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/10/
country in the world to produce postage thank_you_for_smoking.html
Erowid Extracts — Number 22 / June 2012 5
Vision
WHAT EROWID CENTER DOES AND WHY WE DO IT
2012
is Erowid’s 17th year recreationally used drugs, along with and factual, pragmatic information
and we’ve realized it’s time to update massive anti-drug education campaigns, necessary to help them take charge of
how we communicate what we do and would have led to much lower levels of their relationships with psychoactives
why we do it. We are reminded that even use. But they have not. and teach children how to do the same
Erowid members don’t always know By framing this complex situation from an early age.
about the wide variety of projects we have as a war and branding non-medical Erowid’s philosophy is anchored in
going, so we are developing a print and psychoactive use as pathological, the our belief that a foundation of trust is
digital prospectus that describes Erowid social policy of the last hundred years necessary for the long-term evolution of
Center’s goals, projects, successes, has polluted the information presented rational, fact-based education surrounding
and funding needs. The following is to the public. The educational system has complex, controversial topics. Trust can
excerpted from the working draft of this been corrupted with lies and half-truths, only be earned after prioritizing integrity,
prospectus. We invite your feedback and resulting in a fundamental distrust privacy protections, and the open-source
suggestions. of the drug information provided by principal of transparency.
institutional authority figures.
The Challenge On many levels, society has failed Our Successes
Psychoactive drugs are everywhere. to teach modern humans how to relate The result of Erowid Center’s
There are hundreds of plants, which, if to psychoactives responsibly, treat them efforts is a hybrid library, publishing
eaten, smoked, snorted, or injected, will with respect and awareness, endeavor to house, and anthropological research
affect the mind—whether as a stimulant, minimize harms and maximize benefits, project, useful to both laymen and
depressant, or psychedelic. Thousands and integrate their use into a healthy, professionals. Physicians, toxicologists,
of chemicals will do the same. Used enjoyable, and productive life. educators, legislators, parents, youth—
recreationally, therapeutically, in short, anyone—can benefit
spiritually, or to aid work, some from resources not corrupted by
are illegal and others are not. They political ideology, but instead
include coffee, wine, tobacco, dedicated to providing reliable,
On many levels, society has
prescription pain medications, accurate information.
failed to teach modern humans
sleep aids, and antidepressants, as Over the last 15 years, our
how to relate to psychoactives
well as cannabis, LSD, and heroin. flagship project, Erowid.org,
responsibly [...].
Psychoactives are in the kitchen, has become a global information
the hardware store, the greenhouse, hub. We collect cutting-edge
home medicine cabinets, and fuel knowledge about psychoactives—
tanks across the country. from cannabis to psychedelics to
Humans have used psychoactive Our Vision prescription medications—then review,
substances for as long as we have records, Erowid Center’s mission is to edit, and make the information available
and some of the largest corporations in develop and provide access to accurate to the public. We gather novel data
the world are actively developing new information about psychoactives in directly from individual psychoactive
ones. Yet for the last century, the primary order to educate, improve health, and drug users. We also track and compile
ideology driving global public policy has encourage beneficial cultural reform. the latest research and legislation. We
been that criminal prohibition and social Rather than relying solely on have tens of thousands of documents
censure can stop the use of psychoactive traditional resources to supply facts, covering the history, science, and culture
drugs outside of strictly defined and the best information combines the of these substances, forming one of the
approved contexts. knowledge of academic experts with world’s most trusted public resources
But prohibition has failed. As of that gathered directly from psychoactive regarding psychoactive drugs and how
2010, more than 22.6 million Americans drug users. A great deal of wisdom has people use them.
had taken an illicit drug in the past month been developed over the last fifty years
and the majority of adults had tried an about the best ways to integrate the use Experience Reports
illegal drug at least once. There is no of psychoactives into a healthy life. This One of Erowid’s most notable
magic bullet that will suddenly make wisdom needs to be collected and widely projects is our Experience Vaults, where
these compounds disappear. If there disseminated. In a world filled with we have compiled nearly 100,000
were, the past century of ever-increasing materials and technologies that affect the first-hand descriptions of the use of
penalties for possession and sale of mind, adults need the robust education psychoactive drugs. Like medical case
66 EErroowwiidd EExxttrraaccttss —— NNuummbbeerr 2222 // JJuunnee 22001122
reports, these stories serve individually EcstasyData Even historical documents that
to describe the effects people experience Our EcstasyData project contain inaccuracies are valuable: they
and, in aggregate, they form a vast commissions laboratory testing of record the state of knowledge at a
database of analyzable data. In addition ecstasy and other street drugs and specific period in time and substantiate
to being extremely popular with our publishes the results. Testing is the progress that has been made since.
visitors, this collection is utilized by performed at Erowid’s direction by They also highlight recurring cycles in
Erowid Center to generate and validate a DEA-licensed lab in Sacramento, drug-related politics, legislation, and
information about dosage, effects, California. This is the only program in social viewpoints, as well as in use levels
contraindications, and health issues the United States with DEA permission and types of use.
related to specific psychoactives. to conduct anonymous testing. While
several government agencies analyze Generations Projects
New Drug Tracking & Monitoring pill contents, their data is not available Beginning in the late 1950s,
The natural outcome of prohibition for public use or review. a vastly increasing number of novel
is an unending progression of newer, Individuals send samples to the lab pharmaceuticals became available to
more potent, and less tested drugs. anonymously, along with a co-payment. researchers and the public. Many people
Vendors of these compounds may The lab then sends qualitative results to studied and explored the impact of these
mislabel them or sell them via compounds, seeking to identify
“stealth packaging”. In order to beneficial and harmful effects, and
reduce the harms associated with attempting to direct society’s views
the use of new drugs, Erowid tracks In addition to researching, on psychoactive drugs. As these
this chaotic, expanding field. We pioneering individuals begin to
distilling, and publishing
monitor the situation (through wrap up their careers, Erowid Center
new data about psychoactive
volunteers, forums, and medical partners with them and their families
drugs, Erowid Center hosts
professionals), analyze chemicals to catalog, scan, and preserve their
and preserves thousands of
(through EcstasyData), coordinate knowledge and life work.
older texts in our online and
between interested parties, and So far, we have archived nearly
physical libraries.
publish on the topic (on Erowid.org 10,000 documents from the valuable
and in Erowid Extracts). collections of Albert Hofmann
(the chemist who first synthesized
Surveys & Subject Recruitment LSD in 1938), Myron Stolaroff (a
Erowid Center improves scientific Erowid, identifying chemicals found in researcher who administered psychedelics
and sociological information about the sample. We cover the rest of the cost to subjects in the 1960s), and Alexander
psychoactives and those who use them and publish the results on the project’s Shulgin (a chemist and pharmacologist
by conducting surveys and by promoting website to inform harm reduction who synthesized and explored hundreds of
participation in studies produced by organizations, medical personnel, psychoactive chemicals during the 1960s
academics, educational institutions, and researchers, and users. through the 1990s).
related organizations. Erowid’s surveys EcstasyData is co-sponsored by
gather data about health issues, use DanceSafe, which encourages tablet The Wisdom Cycle
patterns, demographics, and the spread submissions and helps bring results to Erowid Center is initiating a new
of newly developed drugs. This provides rave and nightclub communities. We project to record the reflections of older
valuable insights into the use of these publish data for around 300 tablets each psychoactive users through oral histories
substances as well as direction for more year, and more than a million people and targeted surveys. We hope to gather
formal research. view the results annually. the thoughts and wisdom of those who
Researchers studying recreational first had access to psychedelic drugs:
drugs often face difficulty finding Archiving about their lifetime use, how to integrate
enough qualifying subjects. Because In addition to researching, distilling, use (or abstinence) into a healthy life,
Erowid.org has nearly 100,000 and publishing new data about and how to transmit this knowledge to
unique visitors each day, we can help psychoactive drugs, Erowid Center hosts younger generations. We will also gather
researchers connect with the specialized and preserves thousands of older texts in data about issues specific to older users,
populations they seek. We collaborate our online and physical libraries. We work such as heart health and interactions with
with scientists to design respectful, with authors, publishers, and historians prescription medications.
credible studies that avoid judgmental to archive out-of-print, public domain, As an independent non-profit, we
drug war rhetoric. We direct respondents and orphaned content. Making such texts work on behalf of the public without being
toward these ethical investigations and available promotes an understanding of compromised by commercial or political
provide editing assistance for resulting the changing contexts surrounding the use pressures. Your feedback helps determine
•
academic articles. of psychoactive drugs. Erowid Center’s future direction.
EErroowwiidd EExxttrraaccttss —— NNuummbbeerr 2222 // JJuunnee 22001122 77
Charting the Relatively Unknown
A S t u d y o f Four
CATHINONES
by Fridjof Waleenstedt with Knut Bbjornstrand
Some time ago,
I read a trip report in which the The very term “research chemical” evokes a feeling of delight
author made negative remarks about Ritalin (methylphenidate), and wonder, and could not be more apt. Like some people,
indicating that he had nothing but uncomfortable experiences I’ve made it a sort of hobby to carry out a sustained research
leaving him feeling jittery, sick, and cracked out. “Fair program of my own. Why? Because that’s where one is likely
enough,” I thought, “Ritalin is not for everyone.” But later in to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Not just a
the report, he casually mentioned that his typical dose was single pot, but potentially many pots… and vessels, chests,
100 mg! “Well,” I thought, “perhaps if he simply lowered the and loot bags! An intentional, deliberate approach toward
dose, the drug would have provided the effects that he was understanding a psychoactive drug, whether it sprouts from the
hoping for.” ground or arrives in the mailbox from a lab in China, allows
People have countless reasons for taking psychoactive one to fine-tune one’s range of experiences, dramatically
drugs, and experimentation with these compounds is reducing bad trips and enhancing benefits.
frequently carried out in a casual manner. The young man When I stumbled upon an online vendor that carried a
described above might have been told that “a dose” of Ritalin selection of cathinones about which there was little available
was 100 mg, and he might have seen his friends routinely information, I saw these as a perfect subject for my studies,
take that amount. It might not have even occurred to him and decided to do a comparative assessment of four different
that people can have varying degrees of sensitivity to any chemicals. Hoping to increase the value of my data, I engaged
given compound. Experience reports often reveal a lack a knowledgeable associate to join me in my quest. The
of foresight by their authors, with respect to their gaining following documents our journeys.
an overall understanding of a compound’s effects through
experimentation with various doses and settings. Perhaps it The Substances
is this tendency toward casual use, more than anything else,
which underlies bad experiences and misadventure. • 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC, mephedrone, m-cat)
Ultimately I came around to reflecting on my own drug use
• Ethylcathinone (e-cat, ethcathinone)
patterns. As a longstanding teary-eyed fan of Sasha Shulgin
and his life’s work, my consumption of psychoactive drugs has • 4-fluoromethcathinone (4-FMC, flephedrone)
been inspired by a sense of curiosity, discovery, and intrigue. • 4-methylethcathinone (4-MEC)
SUBSTITUTED CATHINONES
Cathinone is a chemical found in the khat plant (Catha edulis). It has the same base structure as
amphetamine with an oxygen atom added to the side chain. “Substituted cathinones” are variants of
cathinone where changes are made to the molecule by removing one atom or functional group and
replacing it with another. A number of substituted cathinones have become available on the research
chemical market in the last decade. Almost all are euphoric stimulants.
8 Erowid Extracts — Number 22 / June 2012