# What if I email (maybe) hazardous info to a minor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 9, 2005, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859 "2005-01-09T06:48:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/1 "2005-01-09T06:48:04Z")
I started a thread in _Cecil’s Columns_ about lettuce as an opium substitute. > **[Lettuce as opium substitute--1831](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=295746)** > > Cecil Adams’s column on lettuce as a drug can be found at http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050107.html I have a leatherbound copy of Gunn’s Domestic Medicine, second edition, from 1831. In the section on Opium, Dr. Gunn has a section on Extract... I quoted from an 1831 book, _Gunn’s Domestic Medicine._ Gunn spoke fondly of a lettuce extract that he claimed was superior to imported opium. I didn’t post his recipe because I had misgivings about the ethics of it. I asked a moderator. He said no, and I won’t post it on the board. That wasn’t the end of it, though. Somebody emailed me, requesting the recipe. I have no way of determining his age, and I sure as hell don’t want to give a synthetic opium recipe to a minor. This whole thing is starting to give me the heebie-jeebies. If I sent the recipe to someone who claims to be an adult (but isn’t,) would I be in knee-deep organic fertilizer? Maybe I’m being paranoid, but it seems pretty scary. This isn’t exactly meapons of wass distraction, but some kid could get hurt. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/2 "2005-01-09T07:16:18Z")
I guess you’re asking about the legal consequences, and I’m not competent to reply to that. However, if you’re not comfortable doing something, then by all means don’t do it. It’s not like you owe the person the recipie. I’m sure if they try hard enough they can find it on their own ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/3 "2005-01-09T07:51:11Z")
You’ve given the title of the book and the name of the author. Johnny Wannahigh should shlep down to the library and find the damn recipe for himself. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/4 "2005-01-09T07:51:34Z")
I don’t see why it matters that the person is a minor isn’t opium illegal for everyone? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/5 "2005-01-09T17:43:18Z")
**Treis,** although Dr. Gunn claims the extract has the same qualities as opium, it is not an opiate. As far as I know, it’s not illegal. That’s an oversight on the government’s part, I guess. I don’t think I’m going to be sending the recipe to anyone. As **Larry Borgia** and **Bryan Ekers** pointed out, the information is out there somewhere. Lots of libraries might not have a book from 1831, but some do. Thanks for your advice. ---
**Author:** ![SkinnyMinnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@SkinnyMinnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkinnyMinnie)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/6 "2005-01-09T23:25:01Z")
I hope you have a good lawyer, cuz your ass might be doing time in the clink. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/7 "2005-01-09T23:40:31Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I started a thread in _Cecil’s Columns_ about lettuce as an opium substitute. > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=295746](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=295746) > I quoted from an 1831 book, _Gunn’s Domestic Medicine._ Gunn spoke fondly of a lettuce extract that he claimed was superior to imported opium. I didn’t post his recipe because I had misgivings about the ethics of it. I asked a moderator. He said no, and I won’t post it on the board. > > That wasn’t the end of it, though. Somebody emailed me, requesting the recipe. I have no way of determining his age, and I sure as hell don’t want to give a synthetic opium recipe to a minor. This whole thing is starting to give me the heebie-jeebies. If I sent the recipe to someone who claims to be an adult (but isn’t,) would I be in knee-deep organic fertilizer? Maybe I’m being paranoid, but it seems pretty scary. This isn’t exactly meapons of wass distraction, but some kid could get hurt. :eek: I’m with **Larry Borgia** Ignore the request, don’t answer, delete it, forget it. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/8 "2005-01-09T23:51:01Z")
I understand most of the comments so far, being of the the ‘better safe than sorry’ attitude. However, you can’t pretend that this book is some secret - as has been pointed out, plenty of libraries can furnish such information, and there’s completely legit (and fairly cheap) facsimiles available on eBay. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/9 "2005-01-10T00:00:34Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > This isn’t exactly meapons of wass distraction, but some kid could get hurt. :eek: What exactly is hazardous about this lettuce extract? The only dangers of _real_ opium are overdose and addiction, basically. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/10 "2005-01-10T06:52:43Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > What exactly is hazardous about this lettuce extract? The only dangers of _real_ opium are overdose and addiction, basically. I’ve not tried the stuff myself. Years ago, I tried real opium, and I didn’t like it. Fighting off sleep is one of my least favorite sensations. If lettuce extract acts like actual opium, another danger is falling tits over teakettle into your neighbor’s privet hedge. And Og forbid you should drive on that stuff. You’ll hit the brakes half a block after the stop sign, and not understand why that’s a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/11 "2005-01-10T06:59:35Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I’ve not tried the stuff myself. Years ago, I tried real opium, and I didn’t like it. Fighting off sleep is one of my least favorite sensations. If lettuce extract acts like actual opium, another danger is falling tits over teakettle into your neighbor’s privet hedge. And Og forbid you should drive on that stuff. You’ll hit the brakes half a block after the stop sign, and not understand why that’s a problem. Indeed. The same is true of antihistamines, sleep aids, and NyQuil, though, and I wouldn’t have any second thoughts about telling a minor where to find those. Just tell him not to operate machinery, drive, etc. for several hours afterward. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2005, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-email-maybe-hazardous-info-to-a-minor/283859/12 "2005-01-10T07:13:19Z")
The question appears to have been answered to the satisfaction of the OP. If anyone wishes to express opinions or formulate debates as to the appropriate behavior of a citizen (or even a Doper) in similar situations, we have other Fora in which to express those opinions or arguments. This thread has come to its end. [/Moderator Mode]