# Is bell pepper a narcotic for anyone other than me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 10, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807 "2014-04-10T17:39:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/1 "2014-04-10T17:39:14Z")
If I slice open a red bell pepper, place one half over my nose, and inhale deeply, I get a distinct physical kick of shuddering ecstatic pleasure for just a few seconds. It makes me feel better if I’m sad. I am not kidding or exaggerating about this–it literally feels to me like I took a hit of something. Anyone else? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/2 "2014-04-10T18:11:51Z")
How did you get the idea to start doing this ? ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/3 "2014-04-10T18:21:56Z")
Note to self: pick up bell pepper on the way home. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/4 "2014-04-10T18:31:42Z")
Sure, first a bell pepper, then it’s cucumbers and next thing you know, you’re hanging around road side stands just hoping someone will give you a radish. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/5 "2014-04-10T18:40:31Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > Note to self: pick up bell pepper on the way home. I know, right! ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/6 "2014-04-10T18:41:35Z")
Is there cocaine in your peppers? ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/7 "2014-04-10T18:47:44Z")
BTW, its a myth that most people who smoke banana peels started out huffing bell peppers. Its actually the other way around. You know, the slippery slope and all that. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/8 "2014-04-10T19:01:03Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Sure, first a bell pepper, then it’s cucumbers and next thing you know, you’re hanging around road side stands just hoping someone will give you a radish. Michael Keaton, is that you? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/9 "2014-04-10T19:05:31Z")
So rough estimate, how many grocery stores have you been banned from? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/10 "2014-04-10T19:23:29Z")
Damn, I’m huffing everything in my crisper when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/11 "2014-04-10T20:10:31Z")
Ah the insidious old notion of the “gateway vegetable.” ---
**Author:** ![TexCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/texcat/32/9041_2.png) [@TexCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TexCat)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/12 "2014-04-10T20:26:45Z")
[sriracha-chemistry-how-hot-sauces-perk-up-your-food-and-your-mood](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/24/281978831/sriracha-chemistry-how-hot-sauces-perk-up-your-food-and-your-mood) I’m guessing bell peppers are the gateway peppers to more serious pepper snorting. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/13 "2014-04-10T20:28:17Z")
we evolved in a symbiotic partnership with them. they provided a desired effect on humans. humans breed them for greatest potency and a shape to better cover the mouth and nose and now grow them in quantity. it’s all part of a cosmic design. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/14 "2014-04-10T20:33:01Z")
This is why bell peppers are called Nature’s Bong. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/15 "2014-04-10T23:25:58Z")
I used to belong to a food co-op and getting a big lungful of air from the broccoli bin would have a similar effect on me. But it seemed like it was just something about the smell – it just made some weird connection in my brain – rather than, say, something like the effect of nitrous oxide. ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/16 "2014-04-10T23:39:36Z")
Be careful, pepper huffing can kale you. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/17 "2014-04-11T00:56:25Z")
> [@toofs](#): > > Be careful, pepper huffing can kale you. It can squash your sanity. ---
**Author:** ![Trick\_Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Trick\_Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trick_Rider)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/18 "2014-04-11T05:34:20Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > It can squash your sanity. The OP doesn’t seem like the kind of person to carrot-all ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/19 "2014-04-11T05:51:18Z")
> [@Trick\_Rider](#): > > The OP doesn’t seem like the kind of person to carrot-all Lettuce have no more of these puns. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807/20 "2014-04-11T07:03:05Z")
Berry well, if you insist. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bell-pepper-a-narcotic-for-anyone-other-than-me/685807.md?page=2)