contrabandwidth says
You should read the history of Absinthe and how it came to be banned, despite no recorded deaths attributed to it. Sure some people went crazy, but no one killed anyone...
TroyPowers says
Contra: Actually, I read up on Absinthe quite a bit before I went to Hungary over the summer. I was very disappointed to find out that the stuff they sell as Absinthe now doesn't have any of the hallucinogenics in it.
Did you happen to catch a documentary about cocaine on the history channel where they said cocaine was actually outlawed in the U.S. because of campaigns that said it made black men go crazy and rape white women?
Scribes: If it is the mushrooms talkin', shame on you for not sharing!
Dzendvokh says
I thought I read somewhere that it was just dried mushrooms they were considering banning. A shame really, the dutch of all people.
Of course it fits the bill. Don't want anything available and legal that might actually have some type of expansive effect on consciousness when used properly. Dangerous that is.
Absynth, BTY seems to be available in its hallucinogenic form if you know where to look. And I don't think it was ever hallucinogenic in the mushroom type of way.
Anna says
I've never tried (you are very disappointed in me, I know). I've had my share of absinthe though. It's true what you say about what they sell, but you can manifest it (this comment will self-destruct in 30 seconds).
Oh well, you can always ask other people to get you what you want; make new friends at the same time even!
TroyPowers says
Dzendvokh: Nah, they banned the dried ones years ago. They were too easy to smuggle and sell elsewhere being that they weighed next to nothing and had a long shelf-life. Now (starting in January) their banned outright.
Cody: Oh, the 'shroomin' stories I could share. :)
Anna: Nah, not disappointed, babe. You're a young'n. Can't expect you to have tried it all.
Oh, and all the "other people" that could get me what I want live in or around A-Dam. :(
So, ummmm, mail me about that other thing. :)
contrabandwidth says
Troy, Absinthe is still legal in Span and The Czech Republic (or maybe it's Portugal, not Spain). That's the real stuff, made with wormwood. The cocaine prohibition sounds like the same defense they used for Marijuana too. Although it was mostly racist propaganda, like you don't want your white wife hanging with the likes of ??Jazz?? musicians. Fucking puritans.
A great book on the history of Cocaine (among other hallucinogenic plants ) recomended by fellow moggers is called "One River" by Wade Davis. It. Is. Incredible.
TroyPowers says
Yeah, it's still legal, but it's not the same stuff that made that painter cut his hear off. It's mostly just a touristy thing these days. I hear that with today's absinthe, you'd have to drink 40 times as much to get the same hallucinogenic effect. Why bother?
From a good Absinthe FAQ:
"The level of thujone in today's absinthe ranges between 1.5mg/litre to 10mg/litre - the maximum legal limit due to European legislation. When it was originally banned, absinthe is rumored to have had a thujone content of up to 200mg/litre plus. So you can clearly see that the stuff of poet and artist inspiration is no longer on the shelves today."
Dzendvokh says
"Around 500,000 "doses" of packaged mushrooms are sold here annually. According to a study published in January by Amsterdam's health services said the city's emergency services were summoned 148 times to deal with a bad reaction to mushrooms in 2004-2006. Of those 134 were foreigners, with Britons forming the largest group."
Oh my god, 148 times in a three year period. Of course we don't know what a "bad reaction" is and whether it included the use of any other drugs, but I bet you can be assured that the number of alcohol related responses is many, many times higher. Not to mention the number of deaths that are alcohol related.
contrabandwidth says
That artist was Vincent Van Gogh, who actually may have been schizophrenic and died of Syphilus. Some guys don't get any breaks. Napoleans troops became hooked on the stuff when ordered to drink it to rid themselves of parasites, and the cafe's in Paris were later forced to serve it due to demand. It was more popular than wine for a while.
Apparently a sort of glow surrounding things is a common side effect
Anna says
There is no solid scientific proof that absinthe (with thujone) indeed caused hallucinations. The only pure fact is that it has HIGH alcohol levels (like, 60-80% I think) . Just imagine that vodka has 35 - 50%. Most of the people that used it back in the oooold days, smoked certain stuff while doing it. I do believe that it was the combination of the two that gave the desired effect.
contrabandwidth says
Well, wormwood is actually a poison (well, a anti - parasitic poison) and so is psylociben (I know that's spelled wrong). So if there is any hallucinogenic effects, it's mild. Any form of "tripping" is a mild poisoning - though not deadly. But yeah, I'm sure the high alch. content would due a lot for the experience too, though.
Jonh Ingham says
Yeah, reality is for people who can't handle drugs. What I'm really curious about tho, Troy, is the admission you've done them with your mom. Did she join you? Or was she holding the Thorazine?
TroyPowers says
Dzendvokh: Yeah, when a 17 year old tourist jumps off a roof it's no longer about public safety. It's about public relations. :(
Contra: Yeah, Van Gogh! So did the ear stunt get him laid, or what?
Greg: Haven't gotten around to the mescaline yet, but have heard interesting trip reports.
Anna: Ahhh, so there's a specific formula you need to actually trip balls! Good to know.
Contra: Hell, what isn't a poison these days? Might as well get a good high while you're killing yourself slowly.
Jonh: Good judgment (and my impending custody case) prevents me from saying more. :)
dermahrk says
This is very disappointing news. Because I've been to Amsterdam a few times, hung out in the "coffee" shops, but NEVER HEARD THAT SHROOMS WERE LEGAL. Now you tell me, BBFO. NOW you tell me....when they're illegal again.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (18)