In article <1993Jan27.010801.14907@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> mcarney@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Michael Carney) writes:
>I'm looking for anyone who has any information concerning the use
> of Jimson weed for it's halucinagenic properties. I have been able
> to find references to it's use by Native Americans in history as
> well as this century, as recently as the 60s. From what I've been
> able to find, this is a powerful drug, so I would like to recieve
> some information from someone who has actually used this drug before
Jimson weed is Datura Stramonium, a member of the nightshade family.
The active chemicals in Jimson include atropine, scopolamine, and
hyoscamine. The buzz from this family of psychotropic plants is more
like a dilerium with very strong hallucinations than anything else.
Jimson is very poisonous, the buzz couldn't really be described as
recreational, and I wouldn't try it, myself. If you decide to
experiment with it, be *extremely* careful, because just a little too
much could kill you. I have tried smoking a small amount of Datura
Inoxia, and the buzz is interesting, but not overly pleasant. It has
been reported that Datura Inoxia has been added to marijuana for extra
effects, but I don't have any firsthand knowledge of this combination,
since I personally wouldn't even *think* of doing any *illegal* drugs. ;-)
It's possible that Datura Stramonium could be used in the same way,
but I haven't heard or read of anyone trying this.
-Alan Harder
ash@math.ams.org
The opinions expressed above are not the opinions of the American
Mathematical Society. They aren't even my opinions, really, I'm just
borrowing them.
=============================================================================
Newsgroups: alt.psychoactives
From: harris@scorch.apana.org.au (Michael Brown)
Subject: Re: Datura Stramonium
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1993 15:17:09 GMT
Message-ID: <1993Apr6.151709.466@scorch.apana.org.au>
ez026264@hamlet.ucdavis.edu (The God of Apathy) writes:
|Does anybody know where to get Datura Stramonium seeds or live plants?
|DS is commonly called jimsonweed or thorn apple and it is a native weed to CA, but I don't know where to find it.
Actually Datura is one psychoactive that you may be wiser to have
nothing to do with. I shall quote a passage from
Psychedelic_Drugs_Reconsidered , a generally pro-psychedelic
text.
Anticholinergenic deliriants.
These drugs are not usually regarded as psychedelic , although
they have a great deal in common historically, culturally, and
pharmacologically with other drugs taken for their mind-altering
powers. They are called anticholinergic because they block the
action f acetylcholine , a nerve transmitter substance that
controlls the contraction of skeletal muscles and also plays an
important role in the chemistry of the brain. They are called
deliriants because their effects at high doses include incoherent
speach, disorientation, delusions, an halucinations , often
followed by depression and amnesia for the period of intoxication.
The classical anticholinergic delirients are the belladonna
alkaloids:
These tropane derivatives, the most powerfull and important of
which is scopolamine, are found in differing concentrations in
various plants of the Nightshade Family or Solanaceae, among them
deadly nightshade (Atropa belladona), mandrake (Mandragora
officinarum), black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), jimsonweed (Datura
stramonium, and over twenty other species of henbane and datura.
Of all psychoactive drugs , only alcohol has been in use for so
long over such a large part of the world. For thousands of years
on all inhabited continents the belladonna alkaloids have been a
tool of shamans and sorcerers, who take advantage of the
sensations they evok to leave their bodies, soar through the air,
or change into an animal in their imagination. They also produce
toxic organic symptoms like headache, dry throat, loss of motor
control, blurred vision , and greatly increased heart rate and and
body temperature; death from paralysis and respiratory may occur.
The belladonna alkaloids are so terrifying and incapacitating -
the physical effects often so unpleasant, and the loss of contact
with ordinary reality so complete - that they are used only with
great caution and rarely for pleasure. For the same reasons,
ironically, they are not regarded as a drug abuse problem and can
be bought in small doses on perscription or in over-the-counter
sedatives and pills for asthma, colds, and motion sickness.
END QUOTE
And Yes Folks , it seems that if you know the the right car
sickness tablets to buy , you can take a fair few and you'll trip
out quite severly . I know of several people that used to swear by
it , untill one got caught by police doing bizzare things and
totaly out of controll in Newcastle. He was arested and when he
went to court he could not convice the judge that car sickness
tablets could do that , so he was done for a more serious drug
offence.
--
.-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Michael Brown at Craggenmoore Public Access Unix |
| Data: (049) 611695 harris@scorch.apana.org.au |
|"Though the names may change each face retains the mask it wore." |
`--------------------------------------------- Peter Gabriel -------------'
===========================================================================
Newsgroups: alt.psychoactives
From: dacc@cmp-rt.music.uiuc.edu (Andrew C. Crowell)
Subject: Re: Datura Stramonium
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 00:26:45 GMT
Message-ID:
In article <1993Apr13.193317.1@summer.chem.su.oz.au> morgan_j@summer.chem.su.oz.au writes:
>The following was clipped from 'The Sydney Morning Herald', 13/4/93
>
>EXPERTS TRUMPET DANGERS OF SHRUB
>
>Brisbane: Chewing the leaves of the ornamental shrub known as Angel's Trumpet
>to get a cheap "high" was a dangerous pastime that could kill, authorities
>warned yesterday.
>
[large section of article deleted]
>
>Angel's Trumpet is a tall shrub with coarse foliage which owes its ornamental
>value to its white 20 cm long trumpet shaped flowers. In garden books it is
>listed as datura arborea but has recently been reclassified as species
>brugmansia.
>
>One authoritative volume stresses that revision of the name be noted so the
>plant is not bought by mistake.
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>While the advice concerning the dangerous properties of datura is probably
>worth heeding, there are some amusing hysterical overstatements.
Mmmmmaybe. _Brugmansia_ spp. are related to _Datura_, true...but the
"tree Daturas" are not quite the same as far as chemical makeup as what we
all know as Datura. Brugmansias, as a whole group, are _significantly_
more potent (having a higher and somewhat different alkaloid makeup) than
Daturas of any species. Even Schultes and Hofmann, in _Plants_of_the_Gods_,
treat these as two very different plants, with their own separate sections
in the book.
Incidentially, Schultes and Hofmann also note that neither
_Brugmansia_arborea_ nor _Datura_arborea_ is the correct classification
of this plant. Its proper taxonomic identification is _Brugmansia_aurea_,
which is the most widespread of the Brugmansias in the Andes, where they
are native.
Yes, I'd say this would be some hysterical overstatements if this
were an article on Datura, also. But this is Brugmansia we're dealing
with here...a very different plant. There's also been deaths from it in
the USA in the tropical regions (Florida, and such) because of people
treating it lightly like they might _Datura_stramonium_. It's not a plant
for casual play, in my experience and opinion.
D.A.C. Crowell
Computer Music Project/School of Music
University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
(dacc@cmp-rt.music.uiuc.edu)
=============================================================================
From: Charlie Ksir
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 1994 15:44:12 -0600
Subject: Re: jimson weed
>Jimson Weed.
>What is it, how is it used, has it been a drug of abuse,
Originally shortened from Jamestown weed, Datura stramonium, but probably
also used to refer to other species of Datura. These contain
anticholinergic (specifically antimuscarinic) agents: atropine,
scopolamine, and hyoscyamine. Long history of abuse, though certainly not
something most people would enjoy doing very often. Produces a kind of
delerium, also dry mouth, elevated temperature. Can be fatal, but I don't
know how many deaths in Texas. I don't think it's broken out separately in
the DAWN reports on emergency room/medical examiner "mentions". My
impression is that both use and mortality would probably be isolated.
.... Charlie Ksir The opinions herein are my own,
.... University of Wyoming so leave my employer alone.
=============================================================================
From: Mark Farone
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 1994 17:17:03 +0000 (U)
Subject: Re: jimson weed
_Datura stramonium_, also known as jimsonweed or thornapple naturally grows in
the eastern part of the North American continent.
_Datura meteloides_, aka "sacred datura" comes from the western part, and has
documented historical use as part of sacred ceremonies in several Native
American rituals.
They are a part of the nightshade family, which also includes tobacco,
tomatoes, hot peppers, potatoes, eggplants, etc.
The main active ingredient is scopolamine (hyosine), and is considered to be a
deliriant. Scopolamine is sometimes found in OTC cold remedies to help clear
sinuses.
The highest amount of scopolamine is found in the seeds, less in leaves and
flowers, and even less in roots. However, the amount of scopolamine varies
significantly from plant to plant, probably due to the environmental conditions
it was exposed to during its growth. It causes delirium and can be very toxic
at even moderate doses.
The plant matter can be infused into a tea, ground into a paste and rubbed
topically onto the skin, smoked, or eaten.
The physical effects include severe and often uncomfortable dizziness, parched
mouth and throat, increase in heart pressure and heart rate, painful urination,
etc. A student reported to me a long term negative effects on the eyes' ability
to focus from one use of smoked leaves, reversing itself after 8 months. The
effects can last anywhere from 12-48 hours after entering the bloodstream.
Subjective effects include severe visual distortions and hallucinations,
amnesia of the experience, and a complete break with reality during use. Users
are often quite violent.
_Datura stramonium_ is one heck of an ugly looking thing, too. It is hairy, has
funnel shaped flowers whose sections taper to thorny, gangly points, and one
heck of a stink. _Datura stramonium_ gets small round "fruit" with thorns
sticking out of it at all angles. All in all, very much unlike a tomato.
_Datura meteloides_ is somewhat easier on the eyes.
I don't believe the chemical causes any permanant physical problems, in and of
itself. Of course, please note that the drug can cause death, which is a very
serious permanant physical problem. Most emergency room cases or overdoses are
due to the inconsistency of the drug between plant parts and between plants.
Although I've not encountered many people who have used this drug (less than
10), I have yet to find someone who is interested in repeating the experience,
and several have landed themselves in the E/R ward due to their violent
behavior or other physical accidents related to their delirium.
Don't know about deaths in Texas, but you may want to contact DAWN (Drug Abuse
Warning Network?) who manage to keep vital statistics on E/R cases and deaths
related to specific chemicals.
Mark Farone
Mark_Farone@sfa.ufl.edu
=============================================================================
From: Thomas Ashcraft <72632.1427@CompuServe.COM>
Newsgroups: alt.psychoactives
Subject: Cutivator's Report: Daturas
Date: 28 Sep 1994 22:58:31 GMT
Message-ID: <36csen$co7$1@mhadf.production.compuserve.com>
Cultivator's Report: Datura
I've been working with different Daturas (stramoniums and inoxias)
for about ten years. Here are a couple of things I've found.
Cultivating the plant is a good way to get to know its properties.
This is probably true for all botanicals. Datura reveals itself over
time. It is not necessarily a pleasant plant in personality but
having it around energizes the household.
Observe and note. Note its companion bugs. Establish communications
with its beetles. The plant needs its beetles so try not to disrupt
their symbiosis too much. Be respectful of their own relationship.
Note everything. Sit with the plant. Get on plant time. Listen in
plant language. Photosynthesize together. Stream together.
Here is one way to "intake" it that is safer than other methods.
Grow it in pots. When it flowers in the evening bring the potted
plant indoors and let its fragrance fill the room. Breathe it in.
Sometimes this makes for a strong experience. You have to have a
certain sort of mind to accomodate the experience comfortably but as
one cultivates a relationship with Datura this kind of mind develops
naturally.
Then when the wild black dog appears, looks you in the eyes, and
--
Thomas Ashcraft / Mopus, Chink, and Oof
