Moderators: I dont think this question is objectionable, as it should be a simple yes/no and easy or difficult answer. If it is, please lock it post haste.
Is it theoretically possible to use cocaine, heroin, or other drugs as the base for a chemical weapon? How difficult would it be? Please, please, PLEASE do NOT post anything practical (ie recipes) that might get this closed.
The Russians have aerosolized opiates.
Amphetamines have been used to extend soldiers’ and pilots’ endurance. That’s probably not what you want to induce in your foe’s troops. And just plain trying to administer an overdose to physically incapacitate them could likely be more easily accomplished with existing nerve toxins.
Lobbing hallucinogens their way might affect them, but then you’ve got the problem of fighting unpredictable behavior.
I think there might be other problems, with your own troops. You’d probaly want to monitor the sleep habits of your speed gun crews.
I did edit that, (before the preview came up.)
The Russians may have aerosolized opiates. Some sort of sedative, anyway.
See also BZ gas, developed by the US. It’s an anticholinergic with a pharmacological action that is similar to belladonna or datura. The Iraqis used VX, which is a variation on the theme.
Most of the plant alkaloids are produced by elaborate biochemical pathways. Getting those pathways to function in a biowarfare setting is likely to be complex. However, there’s an enzyme (monooxygenase) in psilocybin mushrooms that might do interesting things if an evildoer cloned it into, say, gut bacteria. Still, whoever tried such a thing would have to be both highly skilled, and lucky.
I seem to recall that in the early days of the development of LSD, the Army was interested in using it as a battlefield weapon. (Like that’s really out of character for any military, being curious about using a new invention as a weapon)
If I remember correctly, cocaine can be made explosive. You need to check the anarchist cookbook (circa 2001, I think) Something about putting it in a camera. :smack:
Here is an example:
From The Sunshine Project.
So yes, it does appear that is possible to weaponize recreational drugs. People are trying at least.
Club drugs?
I’m sure weaponized MDMA would make for some interesting battlefield situations.
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Thats brilliant…
Actually, thinking about it - it could work. Using weaponised MDMA on enemy soldiers would seriously reduce their motivation to fight and kill! The only trouble might be trying to stop your own troops from using it on themselves though…
May I just say, this thread has the worst case of gratuitous verbifization of perfectly good nouns I have come across in a long while.
Thanks for the answers. I am particularly interesred in Coca/cocaine HCl . This question is related to some events in a game (www.nationstates.net if you must know).
Almost anything can be explosive, if it’s ground into a fine powder. This includes most organic compounds and most metals. But I’ve never heard that cocaine would work any better than, say, sawdust.