Drugs...Let's be realistic

I am continually appalled at the number of people who know nothing of the basic truths about street drugs, even those in counselling, or health advisory. The pathetic government leaflets in waiting rooms or student guidance rooms, giving "The FACTS about Drugs” provide so little that it can lead to misinformation for interested or worried people in our drug culture. Biased and unbiased information is widely available – check out www.erowid.org. Here’s a very short Do’s and Don’ts of some substances.

Chemicals
The Ecstasy experience is all about the love buzz (synthetically produced and somewhat shallow, but affectionate). Coming up causes rushes up the throat and legs, and then looseness of the jaw and mouth muscles begins, until limp limbs are so relaxed that one is driven to dance and chat. Come down may outweigh the positive experience, depending on your susceptibility to the seratonergic response – irritation and lethargy on the comedown, and baseline depression may result a couple days later. Excessive use is guaranteed to mess with your brain, and your stomach. The active drug MDMA, found in powder form or pure crystals (clear/white to yellow/pink, depending on the level of impurities), is mixed with lots of different powders or speeds or rat poisons to make pills. Speckled pills are generally dipped in some kind of psychedelic.
Drink water, but not excessively. It’s easy to develop obsessive compulsions, so don’t worry too much. Have a pint all the time to share with your friends, and someone fill it up whenever it’s empty. Have a bit of chocolate, a square or something every hour to maintain blood sugars. Keep an eye on jaw-clenching, chewing gum may help but it can be mentally controlled if you choose to.
Allergic reaction is highly unlikely but can kill. If you’re willing to take the risk, start with a half, with an experienced friend administering it who’ll tell you if you’re too demented to take more.
Coke is a light amphetamine with a subtlety which may be more favourable than the strength of E, and shorter lasting. The second ingredient is kerosene, and any coke you get around here is likely to be very impure. Addictive and detrimental. Speed: The Drug of the Awake.

Psychedelics
The choice to use a psychedelic should coincide with a sense of responsibility and a readiness to accept reality beyond your knowledge. Don’t treat psychedelics like pills, or else prepare for trouble. Schizophrenic or other psychiatric disorder risks shouldn’t touch them, obviously. And people with addictions or depressions shouldn’t go near them outside of a healing, clinical atmosphere.
For example, Magic mushrooms may bring your thoughts to a super-fast level, and may open your brain into areas you didn’t know were there – causing an immediate need to restructure your perception, how you thought the world worked. This may be awesome or awful. Aside from the spiritual revelations connected with all psychedelics, expect hallucinations to come in forms of multi-colours, constant shifting of what your brain may otherwise perceive as ‘solid’, and so behaviour dives into an area of random apparent unconnectedness. Read Hunter S. Thompson.
LSD is more synthetic, derived from psilocybin mushrooms and can be much more powerful. Don’t mess with this unless you’ve tripped before, and then tread carefully. Don’t double drop, even eat only half a tab at first. Beware of the stamp too, like pills, some are good, and some are alright, but some are bad and this can cause a bad trip, or worse.

It is important to take psychedelics with people who’ve taken them before, preferably a guide or shaman, as those who choose to eat psychedelics must be prepared to face their fears. You are dealing with a force that expands your mind and releases memories and thoughts you might be suppressing or never knew you had. Salvia Divinorum is a sage that is highly recommended as a prerequisite before any longer-lasting psychedelics. If you smoke salvia extract (5 or 10 strength) in a bong, be sure to intake as much as you can within about 2 minutes (a friend should administer it and remove the device on completion). What this does is both highly unpleasant and astoundingly enlightening. Physically, there’s a strange tingling sensation followed by complete confusion, followed by psychedelia. Pick your music, lie down, and relax. It lasts about 7 minutes but light effects can last a while after. Salvia is quick and safe in comparison to things like LSD, which may last 8 hours or more, and gives a vital insight into the psychedelic world. Addiction is nigh-on impossible due to the nature of the trip.

Expect the unexpected. But expect nothing.


Dope
Marijuana in its pure form is a very simple and pleasant narcotic. Its active ingredient is THC, which relaxes the body and lifts mood. Negatively, it causes lethargy and interference in short-term memory. Weed is the pure state, from which hashish is made. Good hashish is soft and oily, bubbles slightly if burned. Powdery flat-press and pollen are common in this country, which are lower in the hierarchy. Finally comes soap-bar, which most people call hash. However, it more closely resembles a mix of ketamine (horse tranquilizer), plastic and shit which have doping effects, whereas the actual quantity of THC may be exceedingly low. It is addictive and damaging to the brain, and can lead someone as far away as possible from the goodness of the wholesome marijuana experience. Stick to purity.
Let it never be said that marijuana is not mentally addictive! A stoner may lose everything through laziness and lack of vision. In moderation, however, it can offer a reality-change positive and pleasant enough that one can maintain active social engagement. Moderation is too often exceeded, unfortunately, giving the drug a bad rap. As a mild psychoactive, people at risk of mental disorders should approach with extreme caution for long-term effects.

Moderation is the key. With more serious experiences, read up on everything you can, because open-minded learning is what matters. Forget social politics beyond maintaining your ever-important self-confidence.

You are you, you are here.
Peace.
Love.

Any particular questions or comments can be directed to agraphia@gmail.com.