"Bath Salts" aka "Plant Food" aka Mephedrone

Common terms - most popularly called bath salts, it is also known and sold as plant food.

Type of drug: Stimulant, Euphorant
Dosage:

• A common dose of mephedrone is from 100 to 200 milligrams ingested orally, and 20 to 80 milligrams snorted.

Mephedrone sold as plant food

Powdered mephedrone

Does it work? Absolutely. Users report similar effects to those of MDMA, cocaine, and methamphetamine. It is a very new compound, recently rediscovered in 2003. It is rapidly gaining notoriety and has been made illegal in many European countries

Mephedrone can be found in head shops or online, and is called by names such as "Ivory Wave" or "Cloud 9". These products claim their product to be plant food or bath salts, and do not market it for human consumption, but buyers buy it mainly for it's euphoric effects.

Mephedrone has effects on the brain similar to amphetamines. It increases the production of monoamine neurotransmitters, while at the same time inhibiting their reuptake. This means that more "feel good" chemicals are released in the brain, and the system that removes them from the brain is decreased for a short time, resulting in euphoria. This chemical is said to be INCREDIBLY addictive due to it's pharmacological similarity to amphetamines.

When ingested orally or insufflated, the effects of mephedrone include those similar to cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine; euphoria, physical stimulation, increased sociability, and a feeling of empathy. However, it also has quite a few negative effects, which increase in likelihood as the dose increases. These include heart palpitations, insomnia, vasoconstriction, changes in body temperature, a very strong urge to redose (addiction), and in some cases, death. Very few, if any, lab studies have been done on mephedrone, so users should proceed with extreme caution.

Mephedrone has been made illegal in many countries, and even while it's not technically scheduled in the US, it still falls under the Federal Analogue Act. It has also been made illegal in Florida and North Dakota. Even though mephedrone may be a quasi-legal high for now, its negative and long term effects are still unknown. Therefore, it is best to wait until more studies are done to determine its safety. However, readers of this blog are all individuals with their own compass, and it is up to them which substances they choose to use or not to use, and the above information is given for informational purposes only. Again, If you choose to consume any substance, it is your own decision and I am in no way responsible. Good luck, see ya next post.

SOURCES
www.erowid.com
www.wikipedia.com

Safety

When first trying out a new substance, it is a good idea to take several steps to minimize potential dangers that might result. The first of these steps is to take a small "test dose", about a third to a half of the recommended dosage to see if you might be allergic to the substance, and also to test if the full experience is something you want. After a test dose, thirty to sixty minutes should pass before any more is tried. If the experience is pleasant and you choose to take more, the two combined doses should not exceed the first time or effective dose by much. Secondly, if intoxicated in any way, or if having any conscious altering experiences, one should not operate heavy machinery for the safety of one's health and the health of others. One should also refrain from dangerous or physically demanding activities as one might not be in one's full judgment capacity. I'm sure there are many more things I could mention, but they're all common sense and you get the idea. However, what one chooses to do is up to one's self, and the above are just precautions to make trying new substances as pleasant as possible.

Fly Agaric Mushrooms - Amanita Muscaria

Amanita muscaria - Fly agaric mushroom

Type of drug: Deliriant, Psychedelic
Dosage

• An average dosage is one small to medium cap, going as high as six caps for a very strong dose. This translates to about 6 grams for the low end, with as much as 20 grams in the high end. However, mushrooms have differing potencies, and should be tested with a small dose initially.

Amanita Muscaria on grass

Dried Amanita Muscaria cap

Is it worth it? I have not tried it myself, but Amanita Muscaria definitely works as a mind altering substance. Shamans in Siberia have used this mushroom in many of their rituals for many generations, and this is very well documented. However, it is important to consume it correctly to maximize the positive and minimize the negative effects.

Amanita Muscaria can either be bought dried online, or it can be found in nature. DANGER: Amanita Muscaria is in the Amanita genus, one which contains mushrooms such as the Death Cap, Amanita Phalloides, and the Destroying Angel, Amanita Virosa, both VERY dangerous mushrooms. If harvesting Amanita Muscaria from nature, one should be extremely cautious, and it is very helpful to have someone who has experience with mycology and mushroom identification, or it should be made absolutely certain that the mushroom you have picked is indeed the Amanita Muscaria in order to avoid any potential health hazards. Due to this possible risk, it is recommended to buy Amanita Muscaria mushrooms form a reliable vendor on the internet to minimize potential health risks.

Ibotenic acid found in the Amanita Muscaria mushroom often causes nausea, and the best way to minimize feelings of sickness is to prepare the mushroom in the following way:

• Mushrooms should be dry. To dry fresh mushrooms, place on a rack in your oven, set it to the lowest setting, and crack the door to allow moisture to escape, and keep the mushrooms in the oven for about an hour. Dry mushrooms are placed in a coffee grinder, and ground into a powder with a very fine consistency, similar to that of flour. Then, 6 grams of material are added per 1 cup of 190 F water, and left for half an hour, stirring occasionally. This entire concoction is then drunk.

The Amanita Muscaria mushrooms contain ibotenic acid, and muscamol. When ingested, ibotenic acid is metabolized into muscamol, which is the main chemical that causes intoxication. Amanita Muscaria can be consumed raw (although this may cause nausea), eaten dried, or consumed in a tea.

The effects of the Amanita Muscaria mushroom vary to a large degree. It takes approximately 30-60 minutes for the effects to become noticeable, and they can last anywhere from five to ten hours depending on the dosage. Some reported effects include euphoria, analgesia, altered hearing and taste, intoxication, wavy or blurred vision, muscle twitching. Negative effects include nausea, delirium, feeling separated from one's body, muscle twitches, and increased salivation, and drowsiness. Users experienced with this mushroom recommend lying down on one's side (not on the back; potential choking hazard due to vomiting/nausea) during the onset of effects and being in a safe place as well as having a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy the experience fully. 

Amanita Muscaria mushrooms are legal to posses, buy, cultivate, in the US. However, one should always practice safety and common sense while using any substance. Again, If you choose to consume any substance, it is your own decision and I am in no way responsible. Good luck, see ya next post.

SOURCES
www.erowid.com
http://www.clearwhitelight.org/hatter/amanita.htm