Contents A CONSCIENTIOUS GUIDE TO DRUG ABUSE A manual written and researched expressly for drug users, Part II: Just the Facts......... Hepatitis & Other Needle Facts... .20 *Reprinted with permission of Vic Pawlak, April 17, 1973 2 MARIJUANA Classification: Hallucinogen. Physical addiction: None. Common methods of consumption: Smoked, or ingested in foods or liquids. NOTES: In 1894, after an impartial and lengthy investigation, the British Government published the Report of the Indian Hemp Drug Commission. It ran to seven volumes and over 3000 pages. The commission admitted these three things: 1. There is no evidence of any weight regarding mental and moral injuries from the moderate use of these drugs. 2. Large numbers of practitioners of long experience have seen no evidence of any connection between the moderate use of hemp drugs and disease. 3. Moderation does not lead to excess in hemp any more than it does in alcohol. Regular, moderate use of ganja or bhang produces the same effect as moderate or regular doses of whiskey. Excess is confined to the idle and dissipated. Today, after extensive governmental and private studies, these conclusions remain largely unchallenged. However, "Moderate to regular doses of whiskey" have actually proven to be more detrimental! The controversy over grass has been going on for generations in America. Recently, many states have revised their drug laws, making marijuana a misdemeanor instead of a felony for possession. But with grass still a felony in many states, legalization still has a long way to go. Recently, testifying before the president's commission on marijuana, Dr. Michael Aldrich of Amorphia pointed out that the international treaties on marijuana are actually agreements not to engage in international cannabis commerce, and do not affect in any way what a nation does internally with the drug. The principal danger in marijuana is that it is illegal. The claim that marijuana leads to the use of harder drugs such as heroin, was discounted as a fallacy long ago. It's true that 95% of heroin users have also used grass on their way towards hard drugs, but it must also be noted that only a few percent of marijuana users even consider trying heroin. Even this few per cent can be attributed largely to the "underworld" atmosphere often involved in the "scoring" process. If and when marijuana is legalized, the percentage will soon drop to a much less significant amount. One very solid argument in favor of legalization, which has been felt especially in the last year, is to upgrade the general quality of marijuana being peddled on the streets. While high-quality Southeast Asian, Mexican and South American grass is seldom cut with anything, the low-grade domestic is a prime target for treatment. Lately we've seen a lot of PCP sprayed on grass, some DMT, even heroin and barbiturate treated, none of which is as harmless as the original. Especially in full scale droughts, beware of funny tasting grass. Hard people are creeping in every where nowadays. If you're still curious about the more intricate workings of marijuana, try reading "Child's Garden of Grass," by Jack S. Margolis and Richard Clorfene. It's well worth the 95 cent price ($1.10 by mail) from Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, 1 West 39th Street, New York, N.Y. 10018. HASHISH Classification: Hallucinogen. Physical addiction: None. Common methods of consumption: Smoked, often mixed with grass or tobacco. NOTES: Once upon a time some six centuries ago there lived a man by the name of Nasreddin Hojda whose feats were so remarkable that he became a legend in the Middle East. Hojda was, among other things, very curious about hashish. He had heard all the fourteenthcentury talk about how much fun it was to use the drug and how it wouldn't hurt him. So one day he bought a stash, smoked it, and wandered off to the Turkish bath to enjoy the effects in a swirl of steam. After a while, Hojda became a bit irritated. He experienced absolutely nothing. Convinced he had been cheated, he rushed out on the street, headed for the druggist's. Midway a friend stopped him and asked what was going on. "I thought smoking hashish would do something to me," Hojda replied, "but as you can see I'm still what I am. I'm going to get the real stuff from the apothecary. I have a feeling that he's cheated me." The friend smiled and nodded his head, and then gave Hojda some advice. "Before you go all the way, Hojda, old friend," said the man, "go back to the bath and put on your clothes." This story, from "Marijuana" by E.R. Bloomquist, doesn't seem to prove anything at first. In fact, for anyone who has ever smoked grass or hashish, it is quite funny. However, it does represent a horrible fate for anyone who has never smoked either substance. Obviously there is a gap here. Let's investigate further. In Indian terms, there are three grades of smokeables made from the hemp plant, or Cannabis Sativa. These are Bhang, Ganja, and Hashish. Bhang, which is the weakest of these, corresponds to the American version of Marijuana. Ganja is an in-between substance capable of greater wonders than grass, but not as strong as pure hashish. Indian hashish is generally darker and harder than American or Mexican types, and is 6 to 7 times more potent. Hashish smoking was popular in Eastern countries such as India long before any notice was given to marijuana. Beginners usually treat hash at first like grass, taking too much into their lungs and blowing the whole hit. Even experienced smokers, after a pipeful or two, may end up coughing because of the strength and intensity of the hashish vapor. Street prices are fairly high, running from $8-$15 a gram, $50$100 an ounce (28 grams), depending on availability and season. Often hash is available long after grass supplies have dried up. Due to its small size and high potency, hashish is cut or broken off a little bit at a time when smoked. Beware of strange-looking hashish that is actually ashes mixed with liquid PCP, as this is a real danger. (See PCP chapter). Despite the fact that hashish is made from the resin of the marijuana plant, its effects are slightly different than those of grass. In general, it seems to be more hallucinogenic and less sedative in nature. The Zarathustrians chewed hashish before going into battle, to give them courage and make them eager to fight. (The word "assassin" is said to have been derived from "hashish," though this is debatable.) As an anaesthetic, hashish has been used for centuries to lessen pain. Until the 1920's, when the big hemp scare started, even Western world doctors occasionally used this treatment. Physically, it is much safer than morphine or other present day anaesthetic, though somewhat slower acting. The first historical mention of an anaesthetic in the Eastern world was an oral dose of hashish and alcohol mixed together. The patient, naturally, felt no pain. ACID Classification: Hallucinogen. Overdose potential: In clinical form, none. Street acid, possible poisoning due to impurities. Physical addiction: None. Common methods of consumption: Ingested in tablet or capsule form, occasionally injected. NOTES: LSD, or D-lysergic diethylamide, can be obtained from two sources: (1), ergot (Claviceps purpurea), the fungus found on wheat and rye, and (2), Morning Glory, or ololiuqui (Rivea corymbosa). As a liquid, it is clear, tasteless and odorless. In its absolute pure form it is a crystalline solid. Acid is usually available in tablets or capsules, the tablets often being the stronger dose. Capsules indicate a low budget operation, as the manufacturer either had no access to a tabbing machine, or was crushing tabs and cutting the drug for increased profit motive. Also available on occasion are other forms, such as blotter (paper) acid, paper microdot and gelatin (window pane) acid. LSD is the strongest drug in the hallucinogenic spectrum, and by itself is not fatal on any level. It causes mind expansion, hallucinations, and alteration of conscious perception. First synthesized in 1938, and "discovered" in 1943, LSD has |