# Ask the Psychotropic drug guy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 24, 2000, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129 "2000-03-24T07:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/1 "2000-03-24T07:00:00Z")
Now that I have some time, I thought I would try this. If you’ve ever had a question concerning mind altering drugs, recreational drugs, or drugs for mental illness. Ask me. I’ll do my best to give you a good answer. 🙂 * * * If at first you don’t succeed you’re about average. ---
**Author:** ![Lexicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lexicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lexicon)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/2 "2000-03-24T07:04:00Z")
Okay, check out this thread I started just before you started this one, and tell me what I wanna know! 😃 [Movie drugs…basis in reality??](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/006417.html) * * * “Winners never quit and quitters never win, but those who never win and never quit are idiots.” ---
**Author:** ![chief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@chief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chief)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/3 "2000-03-24T09:29:00Z")
Can you describe your best experience of a trip and what you used… * * * Check out my site: [Chief’s Domain](http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ravi) ---
**Author:** ![NothingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b77776/32.png) [@NothingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NothingMan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/4 "2000-03-24T09:39:00Z")
Mescal, peyote . . . ever experienced either ? Are they similar ? Whats the “high” like ? ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/5 "2000-03-24T09:46:00Z")
Any experience with some of the more exotic entheogens? Salvia Divinorum? Ayahuasca? Plants containing DMT and 5-MeO-DMT ? Fly Agaric (a.k.a. Soma) mushrooms? ---
**Author:** ![quadell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b9bd4f/32.png) [@quadell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quadell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/6 "2000-03-25T06:09:00Z")
The dark blue swirls are nice, and I like the undulating pink seascape, but whenever the green zig-zags come, it makes the spiders come back. How can I prevent this? Your Quadell ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/7 "2000-03-25T06:18:00Z")
Um, me and some friends were debating how expensive E is. None of us does drugs or anything, so we really wouldn’t know. Actually, I have no idea how the subject even came up. So how much is it on average for a hit? ---
**Author:** ![WallyM7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5e925/32.png) [@WallyM7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WallyM7)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/8 "2000-03-25T06:22:00Z")
Is there going to be a test after? ---
**Author:** ![aenea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@aenea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aenea)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/9 "2000-03-25T06:51:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by waterj2: > **Um, me and some friends were debating how expensive E is. None of us does drugs or anything, so we really wouldn’t know. Actually, I have no idea how the subject even came up. So how much is it on average for a hit?** Not to be mean or anything, but prices and purchasing aren’t the thing to discuss in public. Now, back to the OP: do you find that there is a major difference in the high provided by chemical/man-made mind alterers and ‘natural’ highs such as pot, peyote, or mushrooms? * * * Carpe Jugulum ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/10 "2000-03-24T20:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Not to be mean or anything, but prices and purchasing aren’t the thing to discuss in > public. Why not? He’s just asking for an average price. He’s not asking anyone to hook him up with their dealer. water : It’s expensive. $20-30 per hit. ---
**Author:** ![quadell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b9bd4f/32.png) [@quadell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quadell)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/11 "2000-03-24T21:16:00Z")
Well the [DEA](http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/mdma/mdma.htm) backs Neutron Star up on that. $20-$30 per hit. (They didn’t mind publishing this stat on their site, so I don’t see why we should worry about it.) Your Quadell ---
**Author:** ![aenea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@aenea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aenea)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/12 "2000-03-24T21:35:00Z")
OK, fine. I stand corrected. So can we start comparing prices now? I mean, personally I have _never_ seen X go for more than $15 per. Back in Cali when this ‘designer drug’ thing all started they were $5.00 a pop. Man, someone is making money off of someone. ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/13 "2000-03-24T22:46:00Z")
Is violent vomiting a common problem when ingesting Mescaline, happens every time for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/14 "2000-03-24T23:03:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by aenea: > **Back in Cali when this ‘designer drug’ thing all started they were $5.00 a pop.** ## **$5!?!?!?** Where in California was that? And was it any good? I did a fair amount of X back in the late 80’s and early 90’s (mostly at Dead shows) and _never_ saw it below $15-$20 per hit. It was always really good, but it was always really expensive. I’d like to cut your head off so I can weigh it. What do you say? ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/15 "2000-03-24T23:09:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Inky-: > **Is violent vomiting a common problem when ingesting Mescaline, happens every time for me.** Dude, where are you able to find mescaline? I’m obviously not asking for names and addresses, but in the 15 years that I’ve been “experimenting” with drugs ( ;)), I’ve never even _seen_ mescaline for sale. I’ve seen A LOT of other really weird shit being sold by some really weird people, but peyote/mescaline is the one that still eludes me. And you’re in the Bay Area, too, right? Drop me an e-mail and maybe… ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/16 "2000-03-25T00:09:00Z")
Neutron star-- a friend of mine is growing a salvia plant (is this technically illegal yet?) and reports that the salvia/DMT high is like acid or mushrooms but very quick-- maybe 5 minutes, in which the universe becomes sort of tubular shaped, and she can talk to the plants and the, ahem, machine elves. Sound familiar? If anyone brings up that god damned Castaneda I swear I will scream, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Foamfoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@Foamfoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foamfoot)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/17 "2000-03-25T00:33:00Z")
Does anyone have any experience with wormwood or absinthe? Supposedly this is the stuff that several great artists of the 19th century drank for “inspiration”. I thought absinthe was illegal but I note that wormwood (the active ingredient) is being sold in my latest herb catalog. Hmmmmm…the catalog does come from Canada… ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/18 "2000-03-25T00:56:00Z")
Ok here are some things I tried to answer… > [@](#): > > Mescal, peyote . . . ever experienced either ? Are they similar ? Whats the “high” like ? Peyote is this little grey-green cactus cactus about the size of a doorknob. It grows mostly where Mexico borders the southwestern states. The drug in the plant responsible for the Psychedelic effects is Mescaline. Anyways, you chop up the cactus like you would chop up a pinapple, and eat it. Pretty disgusting stuff I must say. It’s so bad you have to chase it with lemonade of soda to avoid puking. Then you have a fantasticly colorful, experience which lasts about 7-9 hours. > [@](#): > > Any experience with some of the more exotic entheogens? Salvia Divinorum? Ayahuasca? Plants containing DMT and 5-MeO-DMT ? Fly Agaric (a.k.a. Soma) mushrooms? I can’t say I have done Dimethyltriptamine (DMT) . You have to inject it or smoke it. The experience is much much more powerful than LSD. You basically have this major trip for 15-20 minutes. Not for the wimpy! Extremely rare on the street. Havent done any of the others you mentioned. Shrooms (Pslocybe Mexicana) have an altered (weaker) form of DMT, less powerful, but it works on the same brain chemicals. > [@](#): > > Um, me and some friends were debating how expensive E is? The current prices on it I have seen are $20 & $25 a hit. > [@](#): > > Do you find that there is a major difference in the high provided by chemical/man-made mind alterers and ‘natural’ highs such as pot, peyote, or mushrooms? The highs induced are just different between most drugs (natural and semi-synthetic) . As for safety, natural drugs have been in use for a long time, so they display a track record , whereas some of the synthecized drugs have been in use for only a few years–tiny track record, less long term effects known. So natural drugs may be safer. Drugs effect people differently, and it’s hard to research something that has varying effects on people (gives them different highs and trip experiences). I personally don’t think there are MAJOR differences in highs because the highs are produced by a stimulated a release of natural pain killers. * * * If at first you don’t succeed you’re about average. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/19 "2000-03-25T01:32:00Z")
So what’s with this frog licking thing? I’m having trouble imagining any sensation worth slurping on a slimy amphibian. And what’s the party protocol? Is it sort of like companionably passing a joint, only you EXPECT others to get spit on it? ::warbling:: “Dooon’t bogart that frog, my friiiend…” Inquiring minds want to know! Veb ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129/20 "2000-03-25T05:03:00Z")
TVeblen: check this out, [http://www.erowid.org/animals/toads/toads.shtml](http://www.erowid.org/animals/toads/toads.shtml) * * * If at first you don’t succeed you’re about average. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-psychotropic-drug-guy/15129.md?page=2)