r/Drugs AMA series: Datura (aka "jimson weed")
5-MeO-DMT pushed past datura at the last second in our poll of redditors, but I'm going to post the datura AMA today anyways, as I contacted a few redditors with experience and asked them to stop in today to answer some questions.
With that preamble out of the way, today's AMA focuses on a very strange (and, if not taken seriously, dangerous) species of plants and the seeds they produce. The effects of datura are extremely peculiar, so much so that it's the only drug in this series that is classified as a deliriant.
First synthesis: Evolved into the current species. The main chemical that causes the effects of datura, scopolamine, was first synthesized in 1957 by Gábor Fodor as part of his research into tropane alkaloids.
Intended use: Fasten your seatbelts, because scopolamine has one hell of a track record, including, but not limited to, treating nausea, cramping, sea-sickness, and drug addiction; anesthesia and truth serums used by the CIA.
In addition, the plant itself has been used since as far back as 3000 B.C. as a sacrament by Hindu and Native American/Canadian cultures.
Current research into medical applications: Recent and ongoing scopolamine studies have researched or are researching its use in treating nicotine addiction, major depression disorder and depression caused by bipolar disorder.
Legality: Legal in almost every country, with many states in the US having specific laws and Australia possibly labeling it as a poison. Read more here.
Huuuuge thanks to jLoSsDh, mimcwa, and Irradiance for offering to help answer your questions (and plenty of my own, datura being as wild as it is). My appreciation of their efforts (no matter the extent) cannot be overstated.
Posted Aug 12, 2011, 7:36 PM UTC · edited