# what is a mild tranq and aphrodisiac, and is LEGAL for even minors to buy?!? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 23, 2000, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938 "2000-10-23T03:09:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ad\_Noctum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Ad\_Noctum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ad_Noctum)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/1 "2000-10-23T03:09:59Z")
I just tried some Catnip, a couple pinches… chewed it, and then swallowed, and OMG I am not high or anything, but everything is kinda surreal and slow… and best, it’s legal… it is 'sposed to be a mild tranq and aphrodisiac… an trust me… it is… hehehehe well, I’m tired and horny, talk to you later… This shit should be used to treat tension, anxiety, and high-strung…ness I’m so tired, I’m gonna go to sleep now… ---
**Author:** ![Poirot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@Poirot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poirot)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/2 "2000-10-23T03:17:33Z")
That’s probably just the side effects of the arsenic insecticide. No FDA approval for catnip, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siddhartha_Vicious)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/3 "2000-10-23T03:26:22Z")
You tried catnip? What on earth made you want to try catnip? ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/4 "2000-10-23T03:39:35Z")
> [@](#): > > You tried catnip? What on earth made you want to try catnip? Well, heck, if it’s good enough for my cats… Hey, Ad Noctum - the dried stuff or the live stuff? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/5 "2000-10-23T04:25:48Z")
So, did you bat the catnip stuff ball around on the floor with your hands or feet before deciding to ingest it? What was that sound? OOOOOOO the can opener… ---
**Author:** ![ChromiumGrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChromiumGrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChromiumGrin)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/6 "2000-10-23T06:39:59Z")
I read somewhere that Catnip is an herb that can be used by people, though I don’t recall what for. I think I just found out. Excuse me while I go chase my cat down and try to score a hit. ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/7 "2000-10-23T07:34:42Z")
Catnip is often made into a tea for its calmative effects. I think that the “aphrodisiac” part of it just may be your rampaging hormones, and not necessarily the catnip itself. ---
**Author:** ![BornDodgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@BornDodgy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornDodgy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/8 "2000-10-23T09:51:09Z")
Catnip? Ohmpf- I have to keep some of my friends away from this thread… they were desperate enough to smoke aspirin… catnip would sure be their next choice… ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/9 "2000-10-23T13:47:47Z")
according to Burroughs in **Naked Lunch** , catnip was often sold to boobs, because it looked and smelled of weed, even while burning. As for it being a mild stimulent and aphrodisiac, well. I forget the name of the active ingredient, but supposedly it resembles female cat pheremones. Gets the cat all wired and horny. So make sure you don’t do your cat. The fact that you aren’t feline, and that boobs were sold the 'nip as an evil ruse, leads me to believe you have fallen prey to the beautiful yet dreaded placebo effect. ---
**Author:** ![Simetra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Simetra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simetra)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/10 "2000-10-23T14:17:13Z")
Quick! Tender Vittles! My Bloom County reference for the day. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/11 "2000-10-23T14:17:48Z")
[I’m so wasted](http://www.endor.org/sandler/laugh.html#17) Just substitute Ad Noctum for “M2”, and you’ll see what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Ad\_Noctum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Ad\_Noctum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ad_Noctum)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/12 "2000-10-24T00:34:45Z")
Well, I tell you, I had some this morning too, and it made my 2nd hr class a lot less stressful, (SFT, statistics, functionsm and trig) but it doesn’t make you dumb, like weed, it just relaxes you. wore off in 3rd hr… it was nice… but anyhow, it wasn’t a placebo… nurse" well, come back in a week if this does’t work, and I’ll give you a stronger placebo" ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/13 "2000-10-24T01:55:05Z")
Ad Noctum: Yep, catnip is a mild sedative, in the herbalist tradition. Being a mild sedative, it might be aphrodisiac to those who are sprung from the git-go. If it were all that, however, you’d see it put forth on the market as a miracle. But it ain’t. Perhaps you are mighty sensitive. There goes forth yer glory. There are some better herbal aphrodisiacs, but hell if I’m telling you. If you go on yond with catnip, who knows what ye’ll have wrought with species X??? ---
**Author:** ![Ad\_Noctum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Ad\_Noctum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ad_Noctum)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/14 "2000-10-24T02:05:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elelle \* > \*\*Ad Noctum: > > Perhaps you are mighty sensitive… There are some better herbal aphrodisiacs, but hell if I’m telling you… > \*\* [thick english accent] Oh Please?!? [/thick english accent] hehehehehehehe I got one of my friends hooked too [hijack my own thread] I GOT A NEW SIG! [/hijack my own thread] ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/15 "2000-10-24T02:12:53Z")
If it’s a sedative, then why do my cats act like they’ve just drunk an entire pot of coffee chased down by Mountain Dew? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/16 "2000-10-24T02:28:39Z")
Catnip is a mild setative, also good for stomach troubles. I’ve found that it neither looks like weed nor smells like it when it’s burning (yes, I’ve been that desperate). I haven’t tried chewing it, but I imagine that, like other mints (catnip is a mild member of the mint family), it would do little more than relax one slightly and freshen the breath. [hijack] Some cats don’t really like catnip. But the herb Valerian is pure-D kittie crack! Every cat I’ve ever given it to _loves_ it. The only problem is that it reeks to high heaven. I’ve gotten used to it over the years; it has a very earthy aroma, kind of gamy. And in tea, it’s a wonderful sedative, but shouldn’t be used more than 2-3 times a week, as it can cause depression. [/byejack] ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mild-tranq-and-aphrodisiac-and-is-legal-for-even-minors-to-buy/37938/17 "2000-10-24T03:03:08Z")
Hey, great sig. 🙂 Anyway, yeah, it’s true.