A true truth serum?

[FormerMarineGuy]

I finally joined the SD as a true member, so now I can ask a million questions and be treated semi-seriously!

If I wanted to get the truth out of someone, besides just asking (obvious), is there some sort of cocktail or pill I could give someone? I mean, as a regular civilian with stuff that I could get off of the internet, drug store, supermarket, etc., is there anything I could make that could just get someone to tell me there deepest darkest secrets, without holding back?

[Exapno_Mapcase]

Nope.

[WhyNot]

Besides alcohol? No, not really.

There are illegal drugs (“date rape drugs” and barbituates) which make people more compliant, but they often make people silent, as well.

Sodium thiopental is the barbituate known as the “truth serum”, but it’s certainly not available without a prescription, and administered only by health or armed forces professionals.

[Gfactor]

@WhyNot

Sodium thiopental is the barbituate known as the “truth serum”, but it’s certainly not available without a prescription, and administered only by health or armed forces professionals.

Also know as sodium pentothal.

Despite its nickname, Sodium Pentothal will not make a person tell the truth against his will. The recipient likely will lose his inhibition, and therefore he might be more likely to tell the truth.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/04/26/torture.htm

http://www.psicologia.freeservers.com/diversos/soro_verdade.html

[miss_elizabeth]

Extacy might work. It’s illegal, but it makes people sort of “open up”. I wouldn’t call it a truth serum, exactly, but it sort of does that. You might not hear anything of value though. “State secrets?? I want to tell you about my feelings**!!”

[FormerMarineGuy]

@miss elizabeth

Extacy might work. It’s illegal, but it makes people sort of “open up”. I wouldn’t call it a truth serum, exactly, but it sort of does that. You might not hear anything of value though. “State secrets?? I want to tell you about my feelings**!!”

I thought about X (never tried it, but heard), but I always thought/heard that more emotional stuff tends to come out. So, I could never find out if my best friend stole a dollar from me, but could find out that he finds me to be a great guy.

[miss_elizabeth]

Extacy is MDMA. here is the wikipedia article

MDMA

and some info from The Master
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_115.html
He’s talking about MDA, but my understanding is that they function much the same. Just curious… what do you need a truth serum for?

[miss_elizabeth]

He might tell you he stole a dollar, if he feels guilty about it. Of course, if you’re rolling too, all will quickly be forgiven.

[Chronos]

Alcohol’s effects in this regard have long been well-known: “In vino, veritas”. But of course, drunks also blabber on about a lot of things that aren’t true, too. It’s my understanding that all of the “truth drugs” just have the same sort of effect as alcohol.

[handsomeharry]

@FormerMarineGuy

I finally joined the SD as a true member, so now I can ask a million questions and be treated semi-seriously!

Haha!
Good One, FMG!

hh

[Peter_Morris]

The effect of theses drugs is they reduce inhibitions and loosen lips. A prisoner who refuses to talk can be made loquatious. The trouble is they also make the person highly suggestable and prone to fantasy. The information extracted this way is therefore unreliable. It might be true and accurate, but there’s a high chance it’s a drug-addled fantasy.