How was your weekend?

Hopefully better than this.

Conspiracy theory: The rise of zombie-themed entertainment was designed to prepare citizens for the inevitable. Better theory: This guy was fuuuuuucked uuuuup.


The police were originally saying that Rudy Eugene was on "a powerful form of LSD", but what does that even mean? A "form" of LSD? If you know anything about tripping on acid, you know this doesn't even sound plausible. PCP on the other hand, now that sounds quite likely. In my experience, if someone is tripping, acting violent, and getting completely naked, there's a stong possibility that PCP is involved. It doesn't usually end up like "when they caught T-Bone, dancing with that rabbit."

Good times on PCP.

One thing I find troubling about this is the police explanation. They were awfully quick to blame this "powerful" form of LSD, with no toxicology report. What "form" of LSD was he talking about? I've read a good portion of erowid.org, especially the parts about hallucinogens, and I've never heard of this. The follow-up reports are mentioning "bath salts", which should absolutely not be confused with acid. 

Most of you probably know of bath salts and "spice blends". For the unfamiliar, lets discuss briefly.  Because drugs are fun, but illegal, people often find substitutes. Years ago, a scientist at Clemson, while researching the active components in marijuana, synthesized several synthetic compounds that are "similar" to those found in weed. Similar, but not the same. (Rather than name them all uniquely, he used his initials, so they're all called JWH, followed by a number.) Somebody saw the possibilities here, and started selling dried herbs (Wizard Smoke and the like) sprayed with these compounds. Anyone who's tried K2, or "spice blends", will tell you that compared to weed it's similar, but not the same. For the last couple years, these products have skyrocketed in popularity, mostly due to the fact that every mom and pop gas station in rural America seems to stock them. (Spice and several other "research chemicals" are available from overseas websites as well.) While some states have started banning these "fake" drugs, enforcement is spotty, and there are so many of these compounds that banning one just makes another one more popular. 

So what if you like snorting powders that amp you up, but want a drug you can buy at a convenience store? Well then, bath salts are for you. (I am being sarcastic. Don't consume this shit ever, or at least if you do, don't blame me if you try to eat someone's face.) 

So what's in bath salts, you say? Who fucking knows. Seriously, the range of ingredients that have been found in these drugs is ridiculous. Mostly, they will contain at least one upper, possibly a numbing agent, and some psychoactive component. At least if you actually do cocaine, you know that the adulterants are probably something along the lines of baby aspirin or laxative. (Breakfast of champions, right?) Also, drug dealers have a vested interest in you not dying. (Although it's been pointed out before, and I can't remember the exact line, but a junkie dying usually brings you more customers.) More importantly, actual drug dealing is illegal, while selling you bath salts is quasi-legal. The way the law is set up, using a chemical for something other than its intended purpose actually makes you the criminal. Long story short, if you ingest something that has a label saying "Don't ingest this", then the seller is probably legally safe.

What does all of this mean in the long run? Cops and reporters don't know shit about drugs, or at least haven't done acid. So, if you want to know about drugs, try talking to someone who's done drugs. Or at least read up on the topic. There's an amazing tool for that, called Google. (Difficult, I know.) Also, expect a huge scare campaign concerning bath salts. Now that these are on the radar of the news and police, expect white parents to freak the fuck out. (Expect more minorities to get frisked also.) This has happened before, and will happen again. Without going too far down the rabbit hole here, I want to point out that the image of a scary black man on [insert drug name here] has been a powerful tool in shaping drug laws in America. I suspect this will somehow become a tool for keeping pot illegal given the current political climate. (Trust me, I have plenty more to say on the topic of drug legalization, but we'll get to that another time.) For now, watch out for bath salt zombies.