In article , Nick Maclaren
writes

In article ,
"Des Higgins" writes:
|
| I think it may have some psychotropic (is that the right word) peoperties
| but you would have to eat it or make tea with it at a guess. It did
|feature
| in the daft Carlos Castaneda books about as something that native Americans
| used to ehhhhhh become religious but now that I think about it, that does
| not neccessarily mean anything.

Yes. It was used medicinally and religiously, but you have to be
VERY careful not to overdose, and the effects are not necessarily
pleasant.

It is a common weed in hotter, drier countries, and people brush
against it with bare skin a great deal. Almost all such people
know better than to eat it.


Many years ago I witnessed a number of people eating the contents of
seed pods. I think they had between a half and two pods each but I can't
be sure.

The effects are pretty bizarre. First comes a feeling of incredible
heaviness and something feeling almost like paralysis. At this stage,
they were fully conscious and lying down flat on the floor. This
changes. Boy does it change.

The effects seemed to be very long lived - and the results seemed to be
an amlost total loss of normal consciousness - with intermittent flashes
back to it when made to concentrate on something. (Very intermittent).

Hallucinations were major and very real. Seashores in cupboards, rock
bands through toilet windows, white horses on the stairs etc. An almost
total lack of any self preserving senses. (Gas turned on and left;
eating anything that they can get hold of (although I think appetite was
generally suppressed). In fact, unlike some hallucenogenics, there
didn't seem to be much "stress", fear or panic involved.

Moreover, in some areas, there seemed to be an almost total loss of
inhibition. This seemed to be most prevalent in their use of the
toilet. (Sex didn't seem to be considered). In the group that I
babysat for, both males and females ended up peeing where ever they
stood - they did remove sufficent clothes, but then just peed on the
carpet. As soon as it was pointed out or someone tried to stop them,
they realised and acted almost embarrassed - but only for a few seconds.

I know of others that took it and went outside. A major threat to
themselves and traffic.

All in all, not something I'd ever consider taking - and you really need
a babysitter if you do.

I don't know the exact amounts taken - or how close they might have come
to being very dangerous. It seemed to take up to 24 hours to completely
wear off.

--
regards andyw