Erowid Extracts D o c u m e n t i n g t h e C o m p l e x R elationship B e t w e e n H u m a n s a n d P sychoactives

August 2018 Number 30

HALLUCINOGENS

Dissociatives Dimenhydrinate Muscimol Diphenhydramine Ibotenic acid Scopolamine Atropine Salvinorin A Psychedelics DEPRESSANTS Lysergamides STIMULANTS PCP Ibogaine LSA ALD-52 LSD ETH-LAD Opioid Analgesics DMT 1P-LSD AL-LAD DXM Tryptamines Carfentanil Nitrous oxide Psilocin Fentanyl Methylxanthines Ketamine THC Hydrococone Tiletamine 4-ACO-DMT Theobromine Oxycodone Theophylline Heroin Sympathomimetic Caffeine Morphine Amines Codeine Mescaline Opium Cannabis DOM 2C-B Synephrine Phenethylamines Pseudoephedrine Kavalactones MDEA Ephedrine Sedatives & Hypnotics MDMA Yohimbine MDA GHB Psychomotor Methaqualone TCAs Atomoxetine Aminoketones Stimulants Chloral hydrate Bupropion Chloroform Benzodiazepines Amphetamines Diethylpropion Cathinone Barbiturates Alprazolam Cholinergics MAOIs Methylphenidate Ether Diazepam Nicotine Cocaine Alcohol Flunitrazepam Betel nut Temazepam SSRIs TeCAs Muscarine Lorazepam Fluoxetine Maprotiline Fluvoxamine Mirtazapine Paroxetine Trazodone Sertraline CBD Typical Atypical Antispychotics Antispychotics Haloperidol Clozapine Thiordazine Olanzapine Pimozide Sulpride Fluphenazine Risperidone Chlorpromazine Quetiapine Perphenazin Ziprasidone

ANTIPSYCHOTICS

Legend

Blue: Stimulants generally increase in potency to the upper left. Red: Depressants generally increase in potency to the lower right. Pink: Antipsychotics are generally more sedative/tranquilizing to the right.

11 2,185 Experience Reports (and counting!)

23 Years of Experiences • Psychoactive Zeitgeist • Mountains of Experience: The Process… A Dive into Datura • An Eye on • Novel Drug Briefs • What’s Like What? Letters & Feedback

I have the utmost respect for you For crucial research assistance along I first stumbled upon Erowid over guys. The information you provide is the way, as well as their indispens- a decade ago, and immediately so very helpful for the development able online library, I’m deeply grateful became a fan of the organization of the growing human consciousness to Earth and Fire, the proprietors and the website. The plethora of and social stigma around drugs. of Erowid, which is the single most psychoactives and their combina- — J.D. important resource on psychedelics tions, many of which are unknown September Drive Donor there is. Check it out. in the ‘main-stream’ , — MICHAEL POLLAN are explored in depth. This is further in the Acknowledgments of reinforced by the peer-volunteer- [T]here are many of us out here How to Change Your Mind (2018) edited and submitted experience who depend on your continued reports. Erowid does wonders in provision of common sense-based offering a non-biased, scientific, and scientific literature for an Your site helped me through the as well as personal catalog that I’d academic, rational defense of metaphoric minefield that is teenage say more than adequately provides the use of psychedelics. I’m not experimentation. One of the things readers with accessible knowledge a scientist, but I hope with my that has been killing people off in that can only result in a better un- documentation of a non-hectic and record numbers lately is heroin. derstanding of psychoactives, which healthy incorporation of psyche- […] I have seen kids as young as in turn helps spur . delics into daily life that I might 14 strung out like the laundry. I — THOMAS74 win over some hearts and minds. believe that people will do what they GreatNonprofits […] I have been reading Erowid want regardless of laws, and even since I was a teenager in the common sense often times. The best early 2000s, trying to find some we can do is provide the knowledge Just reading the experiences is a community and commonality in my to do it safely. I was strung out… delight in itself. I have come across desire and love for the enlighten- OK, so I am strung out. But I have some beautiful prose. Reading from ing and therapeutic values of the learned to manage my addiction and other people’s experiences can gain psychedelic experience. minimize damage. Rule number one: you insights. — P. no needles. Even black tar heroin can — ANTON N. Email to Erowid be easily prepared for insufflation. GreatNonprofits — C.W. Submission to Erowid I appreciate what you do! I work Eventually I want to primarily in the addictions field and you are represent people accused of distrib- there when there are insufficient My appreciation to Erowid for letting uting research chemicals. I am also peer-reviewed studies to check stuff testimonials such as this be posted interested in the changing trends out. Thanks. in a public vault. We need to learn in cutting agents for traditional — P.C. from each other and share in ways far drugs. Anything I can do to help September Drive Donor superior than the DARE or Just Say this site would be great. By the way, No approaches. I’ve always preached I was at a seminar for Connecticut that drug use isn’t necessarily drug Defense Lawyers and Erowid.org Your website has allowed me to abuse. Some “drug” experiences was mentioned as a great source, research and decide which drugs (especially with entheogens) are good especially the experience reports. would be right for me. I learned how for us. This one was not. That was actually said by the head to be safe, how to choose the correct — BYRD of the drug identification lab in dosage, and everything. If not for Experience Report 105176 Connecticut, a victory for all of us. Erowid, I could be strung out on the — D.S. pain pills or cocaine that “friends” Erowid Volunteer of mine offered to me. Instead, I As a former chemist I know how have safely gotten the chance to corporate America has destroyed explore my consciousness through the brilliant subject of chemistry psychedelics. and perverted it to capitalise on the — H.P. weak and poor by disempowering Send correspondence to: Email to Erowid them and stealing their will through a systematic poisoning, first of the [email protected] belly, then of the spirit and finally Please include a name, title, and Thank you for the brilliant work distorting the mind. Carry on my city/state/country of origin to be you do. good friends. published with your letter. Letters — M.C. — A. may be edited for length and clarity. September Drive Donor Contributor from Canada

)ii Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 Erowid Extracts Table of Contents Number 30, August 2018 Letters & Feedback...... ) Founder, Editor in Chief Fire Erowid 23 Years of Experience Reports...... 2 Founder, Executive Editor Earth Erowid by Earth Erowid & Fire Erowid Senior Editor Sylvia Thyssen Psychoactive Zeitgeist...... 4 Technical Developer JL Mountains of Experience: The Process of Reviewing...... 6 Shipping & Archiving Bläk by Fire Erowid, Sylvia Thyssen, & Earth Erowid Crew Learning Vicariously...... 8 Shawn Corrado, K. Trout, roi, Borax, David Bey, by SellieG Jonathan Taylor, Jon Hanna, Matt Baggott

Experience Report Analysis Associate Editors by Fire Erowid & Earth Erowid Zachawry, Shell

9 Things You May Not Know About Experience Reports ...... 10 Experience Collection – Reviewers Spoon, SellieG, Nilgiri, Danger, Uil Categorizing Experiences; Multi-Substance Statistics...... 12 A Dive into Datura…; An Eye on Ayahuasca…...... 14 Experience Collection – Triagers TehSaccade, Jeremiah, Sugarmagnoliagirl, Academic, Literary, & Media Uses of Experience Reports...... 16 Adlai, Alam108, Lotn, Nervewing, Nautilus, Semimel, Strawberry, bindingafinity, Scab13, A Sampling of Additional Data...... 17 Spiral, Storm, Nana, Javerill, Blinkidiot, ThatFeel, WhiteHeron, Aspear68, Vello, Novel Drug Briefs 3: ETH-LAD, MDMB-CHMICA, U-47700, α-PVP...... 18 Wolfman, Dylan, Quark, Salt, SpaceSheep, by The Erowid Crew DontPanic, Lizard, Revelator, Reflex, Catskills, Jhoppa Q&A: The Experience Crew Weighs In...... 20 What’s Like What?: Drug Venn Diagram...... 22 Shulgin Lab Book Transcribing Brian Davis, Zelig, Jo, Dante, Marvin, Hand, by Earth Erowid & Derek Snider GoronZero, Saucer, Jessica The Pineapple Miracle; Max America Bequest; Bob Wallace Legacy.... 24 Erowid Center is a non-profit educational organization. Erowid Extracts is its members’ newsletter, published since 2001. To subscribe, Erowid Center’s mission is to provide and facilitate access to objective, or to support Erowid’s mission to educate, accurate, and non-judgmental information about plants, chemicals, improve health, and facilitate reform, visit: technologies, and related issues that affect the mind, body, and culture. Erowid.org/donate Erowid Center supports and trains libraries, publishers, and other information distributors on issues related to these fields. Past issues are available at: Erowid.org/extracts It is also Erowid Center’s goal to support medical, legal, scientific, academic, and independent experts in developing and publishing related resources. Erowid Center PO Box 1116 Grass Valley CA 95945, USA Erowid.org Subscriptions: To subscribe to Erowid Extracts, visit: Erowid.org/membership/ [email protected] Change of Address: To update your mailing address, use the form at: Erowid.org/donations/donations_update_address.php ISSN 1548-8071 Cancellations: To cancel your subscription, contact: [email protected] © 2018 Erowid Center Erowid is a ® Registered Trademark Reprints: To request permission to reproduce an article or image from this All rights reserved newsletter, contact: [email protected] Cover Image Credits: 1) Entities Chart—Erowid; 2) Drug Venn Diagram— Derek Snider & Erowid; 3) Datura Seedpod—Milena Veselinova; 4) P. viridis & B. Know Your Body caapi —A. Benedito; 5) ETH-LAD Molecule—Erowid; 6) 2C-B Blotter—BerryTone Other Image Credits: pg 3) 1P-LSD Blotter—Anonymous; All others—Erowid; Know Your Mind pg 6) Palouse-1—Warren Krupsaw; pg 8–9) Superman Tablet—Ashitega1900; LSD Know Your Substance Blotter—XDLT; Mushrooms—Goo; pg 24–25) Pineapple Drawings—David Arnson Know Your Source

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 23 Years of Experience Reports

ersonal experiences form the foundation of widely available (interlibrary loan, anyone?) and humanity’s understanding of psychoactive were often skewed towards positive experiences plants, chemicals, technologies, and practices. by highly educated people. Certain authors, like It’s not medical personnel or carefully-formu- Timothy Leary, were encumbered by sociocultural Plated scientific research that has contributed the most to agendas that may have biased their writings. And filling in the data space, it’s first-person stories. the noise from “anti-drug” sources and childish Unparalleled in scope and size, Erowid’s Experience just-say-no educational programs combined to Vaults have surpassed our own relatively ambitious initial make it nearly impossible to tell fact from fiction, goals. Researchers, educators, medical specialists, and or science from stoned rant. the general public consult our collection, and reports Then, the mid-1990s saw the publication of the are read by tens of thousands of people every day. Shulgins’ influential PiHKAL and its short experience blurbs, concurrent with a rapid expansion of access for college students and We Can’t Deny the Experiences of Others. geeks. Communities formed in new and revolutionary ways around previously marginalized topics. Why Collect Experience Reports? When first developing Erowid, we were stunned by The Early Menagerie how inadequate the available information and wisdom Some of the first documents on Erowid.org were were for helping young adults make rational decisions. descriptions of the use of psychoactive plants and There were just too few first-hand descriptions of the chemicals, written by people we knew through online effects of psychedelics and other recreational drugs. psychedelic communities. Those reports were useful, Indeed, for most substances, there were practically but we were acutely aware that they were hand- no findable first-person reports of effects. We were selected and it was inappropriate to extrapolate too not only curious about the details of the experiences, broadly from them. More were needed. but also what people thought about their use decades For a few years, we primarily solicited reports later. It took us years from colleagues, friends, and online acquaintances. to realized that one We communicated extensively with people in person, of the most effective via IRC (online chat), and by email, encouraging them methods for evolving to write reports. Many of the best early reports came humanity’s under- from dedicated psychonauts who helped develop the standing of these standards for writing styles and formats that are now issues was to pull the benchmarks for useful experience records. together and curate a large collection of Experience is Science independent voices Most approved human experiments with describing people’s psychoactive drugs include mandatory metrics like visceral, cognitive, heart rate and blood pressure, and an increasing and reflective number include brain scans, but the fundamental experiences. way that scientific studies document the effects of The dozens of these substances is to ask the participants how they books that had feel. Over Erowid’s 23 years, we’ve consulted on been published the design of several experimental studies, dozens about psychedelic of surveys, and many analyses of the effects of experiences weren’t psychoactive drugs.

2 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 23 Years of Experience Reports

In the late 1990s we played a small role in developing Since 2000, we’ve published an average of more than the research that eventually became the Johns Hopkins 1,700 per year. psilocybin experiments. We also discussed MDMA research protocols carried out by colleagues in San The Collection Today Francisco and worked briefly with MAPS in developing Erowid’s Experience Vaults have become the their first MDMA human-subject research proposal largest and most valuable collection of its kind, to the FDA. Those projects gave us the opportunity forming part of the global substrate of knowledge to consider the existing scientific metrics for evolution about psychoactive plants, drugs, practices, psychoactivity in 2000. and technologies. Today, the dataset is cited, analyzed, It became clear to us that we humans are at an early mapped, graphed, and discussed by cross-disciplinary stage in our understanding of mind and conscious- publications small and large. ness alteration and how to measure or record psychoactivity. The primary “instruments” (as survey-like sets of questions are called in the Experience is the Basis of Knowledge. scientific literature) were surprisingly blunt. After our years of exploring existing instruments and surveys, we decided to design the Experience Vaults The Future system to collect open-text narratives rather than narrow The Experience Vaults are one of Erowid’s most questions with multiple-choice answers. successful projects. Starting with just a handful of informally gathered reports in the mid 1990s, we now The Design have more than 112,000 in the collection, of which In 1998, we moved from informally collecting over 32,000 have been published. reports to inviting submissions via a lightly structured It’s amazing how far access to information about web form. We manually HTML’d each report for display. psychoactives has come since the mid-1990s and The best reports continued to come in via email, but we’re pleased with the role that Erowid has played the web form encouraged a greater breadth of voices. in these global improvements. Then, in late 1999, at a Friday Night Dinner at As we look back a woodsy hillside home in Larkspur, California, at 23 years of collect- our friend Bob Wallace suggested that we create a ing experiences, database-backed system to manage experience reports. we’re also moving He was both an informed drug geek and a generous forward with new donor. Over wine and snacks, we discussed the vision goals for improving for a systematized submission and review process. the quality of the We worked on a data model, user interface, and collection and its review process in April 2000, then worked through value to academics, May and June to implement the system. We trained a researchers, and dozen people to review and publish these texts, and most importantly, sent out the invitation for new submissions. At the individuals. We’re time of launch, we imported about 600 experience documenting and reports we had previously published as well as a stash reviewing experi- of 1,700 unreviewed reports that had been submitted ences one-by-one through the earlier web form. for the long-term By the end of the year, we had published another historical record and thousand reports. From 600 in the first five years to to benefit people’s 1,000 in six months, the new system was a big success. lives. •

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 3 Psychoactive Zeitgeist by Erowid HISTORY HAPPENS IN MOMENTS

High-Dose Ecstasy Tablets Collection Archiving Tablets containing 250–330 mg of MDMA are Work on the archiving of two important sold in the UK, Europe, and possibly the US. This collections of papers is ongoing at Erowid. is up to three times higher than a common dose. Abstracts are being written for all documents (2018) in the Stolaroff Collection, and scanning of the Shulgin Collection is progressing. (Jul 2018) Access to Lab Erowid’s EcstasyData/DrugsData is the largest public lab drug-checking project in North America. Depression Treatment In the past year we’ve analyzed 432 samples and The first placebo-controlled study into the published 441 results from other organizations. use of ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression (Jul 2018) is published. It joins several other psychedelics showing promise in this area. (Jun 2018) Pollan-Pallooza Michael Pollan’s book about psychedelics, How to Change Your Mind, hits #1 on The Incr-Edibly Potent New York Times Best-Seller List. His mention of Oral cannabis and cannabinoid products (THC Erowid in the Acknowledgments is touching. candies, cookies, etc.) continue to send many to (Jun 2018) the hospital with confusion, nausea, increased heart rate, and paranoia. Route of administration matters. (Jul 2018) Psychedelics: Cure or Scourge? The mainstream news media maintains a split view of psychedelics, equally presenting them as Microdosing: Hip or Hype? medical miracles and as a continuing threat. The idea that many people microdose with LSD (2018) and psilocybin mushrooms continues to get a surprising amount of attention from the media. Is it as prevalent as reported? Only time will tell. The Era of Psychedelic Conferences (2018) Dozens, if not hundreds, of psychedelic-related events are held each year around the world. What a change from 20 years ago! Synthetic Cannabinoids Spread (2018) The list of new synthetic cannabinoids keeps growing. Sometimes sold as other drugs or in products lacking content labeling. A few products DEA Microgram Archives have been laced with the poison brodifacoum, Erowid is publishing restricted issues of the DEA’s resulting in severe bleeding and four deaths. Microgram Bulletin from the 1960s and ’70s, (Mar–Jul 2018) providing insight into law enforcement and drug culture of the time. (May 2016–Present) Heroin Laced with Fentanyl/Carfentanil Heroin is increasingly seen laced with potent opioids like fentanyl and the novel psychoactive Fruit substances carfentanil, furanyl fentanyl, and benzyl We love Pine(apples). fentanyl, leading to more overdoses. (Jan–Mar 2018) (Jun 2018)

4 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 US Moves To Add New Schedule A Don’t Forget—Blotter Isn’t Always LSD Attempting to control novel psychoactives, the US Blotter containing a chemical other than LSD House passes a bill to create a “Schedule A” for (1P-LSD, NBOMes, ultra-potent opioids, DOB/ any analog of a Schedule I or II drug. The Attorney DOC) isn’t uncommon. Hofmann “1943 Bicycle General would have authority to ban substances Ride” blotter containing carfentanil? Fucking wrong! with relative ease. Possession wouldn’t be illegal. (2016–2018) Seems to ignore lessons learned from prohibition. (Jun 2018) Cannabis in Canada Canada legalizes possession, home growing, and Ketamine Tales sales of recreational cannabis nationwide. Must be Ketamine use in emergency response settings as a over 18, a maximum of four plants cultivated per treatment for pain increases. Disturbingly, police in household, and vendors must be licensed. Minnesota take this as license to request that EMTs (Jun 2018) “chemically restrain” suspects with ketamine. (Jun 2018) Mushroom Mistake Young man picks edible morel mushrooms and Kratom Battles posts photos on Facebook. A cop shows up at his Media, harm reduction workers, and policymakers door and threatens arrest, assuming they’re illegal. continue to spar over whether kratom is a Ill-informed law enforcement officers should not promising tool in reducing opioid addiction browse social media looking for mushroom crimes! or a dangerously addictive drug. (Jun 2018) (2018) Nick Sand Harm Reduction Activism Award Psychedelic chemist, elder, and friend Nick Sand A coalition of organizations, including Erowid, gives dies. Along with other psychedelics, Nick may the first Prometheus Award for Harm Reduction have produced more LSD than anyone in history, Activism to Hannah Procell, a college student having specialized in super-efficient, large-scale disciplined for providing a chill room offering peer production. His trickster smile is missed. support during a school-approved party. (Apr 2017) (Jun 2018) Dale Pendell Psychedelic Social Clubs Psychedelic poet, ethnobotanist, and friend There is a growing trend of local psychedelic Dale Pendell dies. Dale’s epic Pharmako-trilogy clubs and societies in many countries. Dozens of books melds botany, culture, history, poetry, of such groups host lectures, meet-ups, and art, and science in an engaging and crafty way. discussions among interested people. We miss his thoughtful and kind presence. (2018) (Jan 2018)

Prison Transformed into Cannabinoid Tweakin’ Tweakin’ Off That 2C-B Extraction Facility Rapper-songwriter Kanye West namechecks Damian Marley buys a vacant prison in a small 2C-B and DMT in a song on his album Ye, which California town and converts it into a cannabis reaches #1 on the Billboard 200. cultivation and oil extraction facility. (Jun 2018) (Feb 2018) Major LSD Bust in EU Medical Marijuana in Europe Officials report seizing 800,000 doses of With only a few exceptions (Andorra, Estonia, LSD along with millions in cryptocurrencies Luxembourg, Monaco, and San Marino), access to during a raid on houses in Spain and Austria medical cannabis has spread across Europe. linked to darkweb sales. (2018) (Jun 2018)

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 5 Mountains of Experience The process of reviewing 112,000 first-person reports about the use of psychoactives

by Fire Erowid, Sylvia Thyssen, and Earth Erowid

Photo by Warren Krupsaw

First-hand reports of experiences offers some suggestions, noting that a Experience Vaults, and improves the vary from great to terrible and from report is more likely to be published if overall quality of published reports by potentially life-saving to recklessly it describes mindset and setting, dose focusing the team’s attention on the dangerous. Most fall somewhere in and timing information, and a mention most valuable submissions. between. With more than 112,000 of any supplements, prescriptions, reports submitted over the past 20 years, or over-the-counter medications the Rating we have developed complex systems to author has recently taken. Each triager assigns a grade from publish, sort, review, maintain, and A+ (amazing) to F (unacceptable) improve Erowid’s collection. TRIAGING based on factors like clarity of writing, Once a report is submitted, it enters interest, and data value. Rating is SUBMISSIONS a pool of reports to be preliminarily a subjective process, and it can be Currently, most reports are graded and commented on by two touchy to “grade” other people’s submitted through our simple web trained “triagers”—volunteers well writing. We choose not to display form, which asks for the following read about a variety of psychoactives, report ratings publicly because of how information: author name, body their dosages, and their effects. seriously some people take this type weight, age at time of experience, It’s the triager’s job to sift through of judgment. Triagers provide a rating year of experience, gender, and an the mountains of submissions, bringing without seeing the ratings that others email address (optional), as well better, more useful, unique, and/or have given a report. as report title, substance name(s), problematic reports to the attention of dose(s), and most importantly a reviewers. They can highlight favorite Campaigns description of the experience. parts or comment on any concerns they To create order in the chaos, we run We encourage a narrative report have about reports they read. “campaigns” for triagers, which helps style, written from the first-person This process provides a well-defined fast-track reports that match various viewpoint. The submission form way for volunteers to help with Erowid’s criteria. Erowid staff might tailor a

Primary and Secondary Experience Report Categories

6 ErowidErowid Extracts Extracts 30 —30 December— August 20162018 campaign to highlight a public health categories, and, taking into consid- tion but provides no verifiable details issue (keywords matching “overdose”), eration the grades and comments of or contact information; an otherwise to coincide with a conference topic triagers, assign a final rating. This very poor quality report that describes (“ketamine”), to fill in gaps in our final rating is used to determine the a reaction or effect that isn’t widely published reports (“aspergers”, default order in which reports appear documented; or a report of a rare “1P-LSD”, or female authors), or just to in some lists and search results. combination of substances that we entertain volunteers (“kittens”). We’ve don’t find entirely credible. found that manageable campaigns Editing consist of 15–50 reports. To preserve the original voice, Rejecting writing skill, and style of the author, Reviewers can reject reports that REVIEWING most reports are only lightly edited. We are hard to read due to bad grammar or Once a report has been triaged correct substance and chemical names spelling, that have no content related by two crew members, it’s ready for where needed for clarity, fix some to topics we cover, that consist only of review. Reviewers are promoted from minor spelling and grammar errors, and a litany of activities engaged in while triagers who have shown dedication remove promotional language about high but don’t address the effects of by triaging hundreds of reports, have vendors and products. For privacy, we any , or that they demonstrated their understanding of also usually remove full names and think are falsified. These reports aren’t the process through their comments place names. deleted but remain unedited and aren’t and ratings, and have the time to Erowid discourages the use of viewable by the public. About 56% of commit to the more difficult reviewer second-person framing in first-hand all reviewed reports are rejected. role. experiences. For this reason, wordings While volunteer reviewers are like “You will feel…” often get edited Admin Attention generally limited to publishing to “I felt…”. Further, we have an Some texts require special consid- submissions that have been triaged editorial policy of removing overly eration before being published. These by two people, senior reviewers and didactic or teaching commentary that include the first few reports for a new our editorial staff have the option to isn’t directly related to the experience substance, reports of deaths that don’t publish texts that haven’t undergone of the author. include verifying details or contact triaging. information, and reports suspected of Erowid Notes being falsified. Standardizing & Tagging Reviewers sometimes add a caution, Reviewers standardize several warning, or “Erowid Note” to reports. TENDING types of information about each There are dozens of standardized notes, Once reports have been published, report. Titles and author names are including warnings about the dose there’s additional curation that takes edited where necessary; reports being unusually or dangerously high, place over time. We crosscheck and submitted with generic titles like “My questionable substance identifica- standardize how substance names are Experience with LSD” will have a tion, volatile solvent inhalation safety displayed (species names sometimes representative phrase from the report warnings, etc. The most common change!), how categories are used, or selected as their title. Full names in of these is a “Do Not Drive While what is considered a primary versus the Author Name field are changed Intoxicated” exhortation that we contributing substance. Tending to abbreviate the first or last name, started adding to reports in the late involves tidying the data and verifying and if the author gave a generic name 1990s. However, we’re well aware that that reports have been coded and like “LSD User”, it may be changed too many cautionary notes can cause tagged appropriately. either to “Anonymous” or a unique “warning blindness”, reducing their pseudonym pulled from the text. effectiveness. The Erowid crew works hard As reviewers read reports, they to publish first-person experience make note of the substance(s), The Cellar (F+) reports in order to add to the form, dose, route of administration, If a report is considered unfit for global literature about psychoactive and timing, which are displayed display but contains a bit of relevant plants, chemicals, technologies, in a chart along with each report. data that we don’t want to lose, it and practices. We’re proud of this They code reports for primary and is given a rating of F+ and put into corpus and will continue to develop contributing substances, the context what we call the “Cellar”. By default, it for use by researchers, health of the experience (small group, cellared reports don’t show up for care professionals, and members of festival, etc.), and an estimate of the visitors unless they specify that they the public who want to learn about intensity of the experience. They tag want to see them. Examples include psychoactives or seek insight into the report with primary and secondary a report that mentions a hospitaliza- people’s experiences with them. •

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 7 Learning by SellieG LIVING VICARIOUSLY The Joys and Challenges of Editing 3,200 Experience Reports

SellieG began volunteering in combination of substances, etc.) there My time spent reading the November 2011. He triaged 400 is genuine excitement and satisfaction experiences of others has reinforced my experience reports in his first twelve in knowing I’ve found a needle in the belief in the premise that no substance months and then trained for the haystack and will get to share it with is inherently good or bad. People can much more time-consuming task of the world. have strong opinions about substances, report reviewing. In his first three One of my favorite moments is believing some, as a rule, lead to years as a reviewer, he published when an author achieves the nearly misery or joy, or deeming plant-derived 100 reports. Since then, he’s become impossible and manages to capture chemicals as superior to lab-derived one of the most engaged members the ineffable, describing something ones. I like that Erowid takes no side of Erowid’s Experience Vaults crew, otherworldly, alien, or uniquely in this debate and plays the role of having triaged 1,400 reports and existential in a way that others can neutral information source. Reviewing reviewed over 3,200, more than all grasp. experiences, just like reading them, but four other reviewers, ever. Readers get the incredible can challenge one’s personal views He has been key to the crew’s decision opportunity to live and learn and preferences, as well as test one’s to take on the challenge of publishing vicariously through another person’s stereotypes about specific substances more experience reports in 2018 than experience, whether it’s a positive and the people who use them. any previous year—an ambitious goal that we’re on target to meet. natural vs synthetic

eviewing At this point I had another realization: experience it was acceptable for me to use drugs reports is a that didn’t grow from the ground. daily mental While I had no intention of abusing Rexercise. It involves them, I became aware that these careful reading, problem solving, research, and substances were just as significant to making judgment calls, personal growth as some of the plants all while expanding my I had ingested. It was ridiculous for personal knowledge in me to bar them from my body, let an entertaining way. alone judge those who used them. Tasks can be as simple as verifying that a quotation —naggyj (LSD & MDMA: Exp80128) is accurate, or more complex, like fact-check- ing drug formulations, neurochemistry, or extraction methods. life-altering one or a disastrous Part of the reviewer role involves It’s exciting to be one of the first train wreck. It’s a phenomenon that intentionally seeking out less common people to ever read what someone else has the power to move people. An substances, unusual combinations, has written. The constant unknown of author describing that they tripped and a balance of positive and negative what I’ll find in the next report never way too hard because they didn’t experiences. This has pushed me grows old and keeps me coming back weigh their chemical with a scale to read about many topics and for more. When I uncover a great could make a reader decide never to substances at a depth or frequency report (entertaining, well written, take an unmeasured dose of a potent I might normally not have. Through descriptive of a unique situation or chemical again. this, I often see a beautiful side to a

8 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 substance that many deem ugly and more impactful than scientific papers. each publishable submission for just as importantly, see something At their best, experience reports are relevant categories. ugly when reading about a substance compelling and easy to digest, as Reviewing appeals to my that is largely seen in a positive light. they describe effects and perspectives mathematical interests as well as my In the psychedelic community, from a first-person point of view. artistic interests. I get great pleasure methamphetamine from performing a behind- often carries a negative the-scenes role involving connotation but has When I uncover a great report, there is categorization, rating, certainly been used genuine excitement and satisfaction curatorial, and librarian- successfully in both type duties that increase the therapeutic and in knowing I’ve found a needle in value of reports as a data recreational manners, the haystack and will get to set usable by researchers. via prescription or street share it with the world. Building this collection of sourcing. MDMA is texts offers an unprecedent- commonly discussed in ed opportunity to generate overly positive terms, but some The most accurate book in the world statistics with a level of legitimacy reports document severely impaired could lay out the pros and cons of made possible by the sheer size of the judgement resulting in a myriad of using a particular substance, but if reviewed data set. problems, as well as the potential for the book sucks to read, no one will On the flip side of the coin, I compulsive use leading to addiction. I read it, and no one gains anything. enjoy the creative ways authors think it is important to bring to light as Well-written experience reports don’t describe their experiences. It’s amazing to witness how parallel descriptions and tackling the ineffable insights show up across multiple reports but are I begin to imagine every fleeting uniquely expressed by moment, how exact and precise each author. Set, setting, every occurrence in the world was. substance, and dosage Normally, while tripping, I would could be the same within appreciate the beauty of this, like a hundred reports, but all one hundred authors will thinking about a certain thing in a take a little something certain situation, how that would different away from the happen just once, and never again. experience and share How every specific instance swirled it with the reader in forth from the chaos. But instead of their own unique way. Extrapolated out to the appreciating each moment, I cried ever-expanding list of at the tragedy of their fleetingness and their death, and chemicals that exist mourned for the astronomical number of moments that today, combined with a would never ever happen, for the ones that never did nearly infinite number of happen, for the ones that weren’t happening, for the possible combinations of set and setting, the ones that happened and will never happen again. possibilities for how an —nervewing (LSD & Psilocybin Mushrooms: Exp110278) author describes a mental or physical experience are essentially limitless. I like knowing there many sides of each plant or chemical suck to read. Erowid volunteers put will always be another inventive as possible. Having access to a wide in the elbow grease of sifting through way of describing a sensation or variety of information allows readers submissions and getting the most experience in future reports, and to shape their own opinions on articulate and useful content to the eventually, we may gain greater complicated topics. top of the ever-expanding list of perspective on human behavior and In some ways, these tales from a published reports and make this list consciousness through our collective stranger’s life can be equally if not sortable and searchable by coding efforts. •

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 9 Things You May Not Know 9 About Experience Reports

1 substances have at least one published experience report in the 737 Erowid database. 355 substances have at least ten.

2 of all reports that have been read and fully reviewed by the 55% Erowid crew have been rejected.

3 reports have been submitted to Erowid (including both 112,185 published and unpublished reports).

4 reports are the longest, followed by phenethyl- Psychedelics amine, yoga, fasting, and ritual reports.

5 have the most published reports out of all Mushrooms substances (2,380).

6 are the years of the oldest experiences in the 1804 & 1848 collection, one for opium, the other for hashish.

7 31,857 reports have been published by Erowid over 23 years.

8 of all published reports, and ~4.7% of unreviewed reports, 6.0% include LSD as one of the primary substances.

9 is the average age at time of use for volatile inhalant reports 17.8 (glue, paint, gasoline, etc.), the youngest of any substance.

10 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 WHY SUBMIT A REPORT TO EROWID?

Taking contemporaneous notes Longer-Term Perspectives The Future Needs You! during an experience may be As the internet matures, so do the It’s difficult to know exactly how personally helpful, and sharing demands put on the data streams. the global undertaking of sharing them can definitely assist others. Perhaps our current biggest unmet experiences about psychoactive How common or unusual was your need is for retrospective reports, plants, chemicals, technologies, reaction? Your dose response? Did where people look back at their and practices will impact the you enjoy it? Did you feel improved unique lifetime of use and reflect on future. These topics were prohibited by the experience? Do you wish what they think about it now. terrain not long ago, and the you’d never tried it? dominant voices came from We’re past the days when it was Filling in Knowledge Gaps bureaucracies that had essentially hard to publish one’s thoughts to Even with 112,000 experience one message: don’t, and if you do, a global audience. But Erowid’s reports, there are critical holes in the it’s wrong and bad for you. You Experience Vaults aren’t a blog global, available knowledge about can help by adding your story to where the goal is to share individual most substances. For example, as we the pool to make sure the future stories. We’re building a resource begin to fill in what “normal” reactions includes a better representation from which both basic information are to psilocybin mushrooms, we still of the pros and cons, benefits and (dose, timing, types of effects) and have very little data about drug-drug harms, dos and don’ts of these more complex data (drug interac- interactions or unusual physiological intriguing components of human tions, positive and negative life responses. We also want reports from experience. • effects, nuanced impact of set and a full range of ages, genders, and setting) can be gathered. levels of experience. Erowid.org/exp/submit

NUMBER OF REPORTS PUBLISHED EACH YEAR

1,571 1,700 1,679 1,438 1,760 1,593 2,081 4,461 2,109 1,412 1,292 979 1,038 831 255 647 1,430 1,897 3,717+ 4600 4400

4200

4000

3800

3600

3400

3200

3000

2800

2600

2400

2200

2000

1800

1600

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

The spike in reports published in 2006–2008 was due in large part to a single volunteer named Antheia who triaged and/or reviewed more than 30,000 reports over the course of a few years. The dip in published reports in 2013–2015 was the result of a three-year leave of absence taken by Sylvia Thyssen, our Volunteer Manager, who spent time pursuing other ventures. We’re now on track to publish more than 4,500 reports in 2018!

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 11 Categorizing Experiences How are different substances represented within topics?

Below are examples showing which substances have treat addiction. Or perhaps an author realizes something some of the highest and lowest percentage representa- about their addiction to tobacco while on psilocybin tion in several categories. Reviewers select appropriate mushrooms. In another example, benzodiazepines are categories (topics) for each report. Some associations often used in emergency departments to treat people are simple, but there are also correlative cases where during “Train Wrecks”. Category statistics can provide categories can have multiple, or even opposite, meanings. interesting insights! • Consider “Addiction”. There are different reasons why a substance might relate to “addiction”, i.e. heroin because it is addicting and ibogaine because it is used to Ayahuasca Yoga 24% (39/166) 22% (11/50)

5-MeO-DMT Mushrooms DMT 18% (73/399) 14% (338/2,380) 40% (267/673)

Ketamine Ayahuasca S. divinorum Mystical 8% (52/630) 28% (47/166) 26% (496/1,943) 1,639

Opioids Datura & Brug. Mushrooms Entities 0.6% (6/1,020) 26% (113/436) 1,769 7% (164/2,380)

2C-B LSD Yohimbe 5% (19/355) 5% (95/1,848) 44% (36/81)

Opioids 4-AcO-DIPT Damiana 0.2% (2/1,020) 23% (13/56) 10% (11/107)

5-MeO-MIPT Sex Lotus Group 10% (9/93) 826 6% (8/125)

GHB MDPV MDMA 6% (7/119) 5% (102/1,987) 18% (37/208)

Alprazolam Zolpidem S. divinorum 0.7% (13/1,943) 12% (31/255) 11% (34/300)

Alcohol Dimenhydrinate Train Wreck Ibogaine 9% (63/716) 11% (25/229) 1,043 54% (27/50)

NBOMes 5-MeO-DMT Heroin 9% (33/387) 3% (13/399) Addiction 1,993 48% (145/304)

S. divinorum GBL Meth 0.9% (18/1,943) 47% (38/81) 36% (168/473)

Below each substance name are the percentages Cocaine/Crack Opioids and raw numbers of published reports tagged with the 35% (262/760) 24% (244/1,020) category. Limited to substances with at least 50 reports. 12 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 FREQUENCY OF USE IN COMBINATION WITH ANOTHER SUBSTANCE

alone with 1 other with 2 others with 3 others with 4 or more others

Salvia divinorum Mushrooms MDMA Nitrous Oxide Banisteriopsis caapi

Some substances are far more likely than others to be used in combination with another drug. For example, MAOIs like Banisteriopsis caapi or Syrian Rue are often combined with DMT-containing plants like Psychotria viridis (or DMT) to make orally active ayahuasca or huasca-like mixtures. Alternately, drugs like MDMA or LSD are sometimes considered basics or the foundation upon which other substances are added to enhance, increase, decrease, or shift effects.

PROPORTION OF SINGLE VS MULTI-SUBSTANCE EXPERIENCES

Mushrooms Cannabis MDMA Salvia divinorum LSD DXM Cocaine & Crack Alcohol DMT Ketamine 2C-I Morning Glory Seeds Amphetamine Methamphetamine Syrian Rue Datura & Brugmansia Nitrous Oxide H.B. Woodrose single substance reports 5-MeO-DMT two-substance reports NBOMes Novel Cannabinoid 3 or more-substance reports Receptor Agonists Heroin Modafinil 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200 2300 2400 Number of Published Reports

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 13 Photo by Milena Veselinova

A DIVE INTO DATURA & BRUGMANSIA

Datura is a genus of herbaceous plants that produce spiny seed Notoriously Disastrous pods and large bell-shaped flowers. 2% Datura and brugmansia reports are notorious Brugmansia spp are related plants that GLOWING among Erowid crew for how frequently they get grow as small trees. Most parts of these categorized as “Train Wrecks & Trip Disasters”, defined by external problems like police 17% plants contain atropine, scopolamine, involvement, hospitalizations, accidents, or fights. TRAIN and hyoscyamine. They are known for 3% In comparison, only 2% are “Glowing”, defined by WRECKS causing delirium and poisonings in MYSTICAL positive responses, beatific visions, or praise for the young or uninformed users. substance or experience.

Recurring Themes People often describe having read many datura and brugmansia reports before trying these plants, but not believing the intensity of the experiences they’ve read about. Woven throughout are descriptions of true hallucinations and reality being bent in surprising ways, along with an astonishing number of descriptions of smoking phantom cigarettes. Datura and brugmansia can trigger feelings of contact with “Entities/Beings”; 26.1% of published reports about them on Erowid are tagged with that category. These tropane plants have the fourth highest association with entities, behind DMT (including DMT- containing plants and huasca brews), ibogaine (and ibogaine- containing plants), and Salvia divinorum. Historically, the Chumash people of Southern California used the potent and widely-available datura for related purposes. Drawing on ethnographic work by Blackburn done in the early 1900s, Richard Applegate’s “The Datura Cult Among the Chumash” (1975) notes: The most important reason for taking Datura was to establish contact with a supernatural guardian: the ?atišwin or dream helper. […] A person might take Datura to communicate with the spirits of the dead; those who still missed some loved one, particularly a dead child, sometimes took Datura for this reason. •

14 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 Photo by A. Benedito

AYAHUASCA AN& HUASCA-LIKES EYE ON

Ayahuasca is a psychedelic Notably Positive South American brew traditionally % Ayahuasca and other huasca-type combinations made from the Banisteriopsis caapi 17 have a surprisingly high percentage of “Glowing” GLOWING 1.2% vine (an MAOI) and Psychotria and/or “Mystical” experience reports. viridis (containing DMT). But other The rate of “Train Wrecks & Trip Disasters” is TRAIN quite low compared to datura and brugmansia. In WRECKS combinations of MAOIs and DMT 17 % addition to the difference in effects, this is likely also (or 5-MeO-DMT) are also referred to MYSTICAL related to age of users and the larger portion of with “huasca” nomenclature and the huasca-type experiences that include a guide. experiences share similarities.

It Takes Two or More Ayahuasca presents unique full audit of all the huasca-related reports and split them challenges for categorization because it is into the following groupings: usually a combination of multiple substances. Tracking what ingredients are taken together in a brew Ayahuasca — traditional brews containing B. caapi, can be difficult, though obviously meaningful. Some usually with P. viridis, in tea form. combinations are traditional, others modern approxima- Huasca Brews — non-traditional teas containing a tions. In many cases, the combination of DMT and an plant-based MAOI and plant-based DMT MAOI isn’t in the form of a tea or brew at all. (and/or 5-MeO-DMT); example: Syrian Rue We work to categorize and label reports so that these and Mimosa tenuiflora. differences can be identified. In fact, we recently did a Huasca Combos — an MAOI-containing plant used in conjunction with a DMT-containing plant, Number of Reports but not taken together in one tea. Ayahuasca Pharmahuasca — an MAOI and DMT (and/or 5-MeO-DMT) combination, with at least one being pharma- Other Huasca Brews ceutical or a purified chemical. Forms include Huasca Combos liquids, capsules, tablets, or powders. Pharmahuasca Changa — a smoked combination of DMT (and/or 5-MeO-DMT) and an MAOI, often using Changa B. caapi.

0 Huasca Group — a container group that includes all reports 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 in any of the above. •

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 15 Academic, Literary, & Media Uses of Experience Reports

Triaging as Training Excerpt from Darwin’s Pharmacy, by R. Doyle The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in “[…] 2C-I has yielded, among other things, four San Francisco offers a certificate course in Psychedelic- hundred and thirteen experience reports posted on Erowid Assisted Therapies and Research (CPTR). Since 2017, as of June 2010. Clicking from one report to another, Erowid has partnered with CIIS CPTR to offer students I immediately come across a trope recognizable from the opportunity to fulfill the program’s required volunteer other psychonauts: the mistake. The hilariously handled hours by volunteering for Erowid Center. Nanobrain writes of an ill-disciplined tongue indeed: CIIS CPTR students join our experience report crew, T 0:00 The crystalline powder was diluted to a undergo triager training tailored to their program, and then 1 mg/g concentration in an aqueous vodka solution, read and rate submitted reports. Some of these students which required vigorous shaking to dissolve have little personal experience with psychedelics, so completely. I drink 12 g of this solution, containing triaging is intended to help them learn about the physical 12 mg active. Then, I make the mistake. I lick the and psychological effects of psychedelic and empathogenic inside of the paper envelope formerly containing substances that they might work with professionally. the 2C-I, as well as swallowing a couple very small Erowid editors create customized campaigns so that CIIS flecks that were noted near the scale. students read and triage reports about substances of therapeutic interest, such as LSD, MDMA, psilocybin, The mistake is legion in trip reports—hence Nanobrain’s ayahuasca, and ketamine. metadiscourse on the mistake—“Then, I made the This project is a win-win-win situation, helping mistake,” rather than “a mistake” reads like a refrain Erowid process report submissions, helping CIIS provide because it is one. [...] appropriate volunteer learning opportunities for its As such, trip reports such as those posted on The students, and helping students develop a broader sense of Vaults of Erowid compose a remarkable database for the the experiences that their future clients might encounter. • programming of psychedelic research.” •

Visualizations from Chemical Youth at the University of Amsterdam Erowid’s experience report dataset draws many analyzed Erowid experience reports and published two people to try their hand at visualizations. Word clouds articles with visualizations, one online and one in Medicine are often created to communicate differences between Anthropology Theory. The chart below is a visualization one psychoactive substance and another. Researchers of which substances are most often combined. •

Scientific American

Business Insider by Chemical Youth MantasCode.com

16 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 A Sampling of Additional Data

Low High

All 31,857 40,651 25.5 6.4 5,055 14.0 6.3 5.6 12.9 5.2 6.3 3.3 1804 Mushrooms 2,380 2,848 25.8 8.6 7,006 13.0 5.8 6.9 19.7 14.2 0.3 2.9 1914 Cannabis/Hash 2,267 9,358 26.8 2.9 5,144 14.6 8.7 3.2 12.8 6.2 3.8 2.0 1848 MDMA 1,987 2,767 23.6 4.4 5,280 26.4 4.0 2.4 24.6 5.1 4.4 2.6 1978 Salvia divinorum 1,943 3,399 28.4 9.8 5,467 6.5 9.7 25.7 8.7 14.0 0.1 0.9 1972 LSD 1,848 3,123 22.0 9.0 7,621 15.6 8.3 5.2 17.4 9.7 0.9 5.4 1953 DXM 848 3,828 22.9 1.3 4,368 13.5 10.4 1.5 6.7 4.4 7.3 4.4 1989 Cocaine 760 1,229 25.4 1.9 3,723 27.9 3.2 0.1 7.6 0.3 34.8 2.9 1986 Alcohol 716 2,914 24.4 1.7 4,041 13.4 13.0 0.7 9.6 1.4 7.1 8.8 1977 DMT 673 620 24.4 18.2 6,486 12.7 10.0 39.7 22.3 19.5 0.3 1.6 1961 Ketamine 630 217 23.8 10.0 5,506 16.4 7.9 7.9 13.5 8.4 5.1 2.7 1986 2C-I 549 129 21.7 11.6 6,124 9.3 2.2 2.6 27.1 4.2 0.0 2.9 2000 Morning Glory Seeds 543 641 23.8 5.4 5,837 8.3 2.2 4.1 17.9 10.7 0.0 1.3 1966 Amphetamine 523 1,170 22.7 4.2 4,768 19.9 4.2 1.3 10.9 1.0 21.7 1.7 1970 Huasca Group 494 58 30.5 28.6 8,048 12.0 8.9 27.2 17.4 17.0 0.0 1.2 1974 Kratom 483 350 27.6 9.0 3,575 14.8 1.2 0.6 14.6 1.2 13.0 0.6 2000 Methamphetamine 473 471 24.0 3.8 5,169 35.1 7.4 2.5 8.3 0.9 35.5 4.2 1968 Mescaline Cacti 438 150 27.2 20.6 7,590 5.7 0.9 7.6 23.6 10.3 0.0 0.0 1886 Datura & Brugmansia 436 333 23.6 6.8 5,136 9.4 21.3 26.1 2.3 2.8 0.9 17.3 1974 Nitrous Oxide 408 340 24.3 8.8 4,990 14.7 3.7 7.1 17.4 10.5 7.6 2.0 1874 H.B. Woodrose Seeds 403 421 23.3 8.9 5,340 9.9 4.2 1.5 20.4 9.4 0.0 0.7 1975 5-MeO-DMT 399 17 29.0 19.5 5,117 8.5 13.8 7.0 14.0 18.3 1.3 3.3 1986 NBOMes 387 183 21.9 14.6 6,651 10.3 9.3 3.6 16.3 2.1 0.3 8.5 2010 2C-B 355 149 23.1 19.1 5,945 12.4 6.2 5.4 21.1 3.7 0.3 3.4 1979 Nutmeg 355 502 26.8 3.1 3,880 11.9 1.1 0.3 7.3 2.0 0.0 0.6 1959 Novel Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists 345 482 25.5 11.3 4,893 12.2 16.5 1.2 7.5 0.9 5.8 4.1 2006 Diphenhydramine 319 1,735 19.9 3.0 4,375 18.6 10.4 7.6 2.2 0.3 5.4 8.2 1996 Heroin 304 457 21.8 4.7 4,730 20.5 6.9 0.7 8.3 0.3 47.9 7.3 1967 Dreaming 293 13 28.7 8.8 3,947 12.0 1.0 8.2 10.6 2.7 1.4 0.3 1993 Amanitas 259 248 34.0 8.6 4,532 5.0 5.8 5.0 7.3 8.1 0.0 3.1 1975 Methoxetamine 216 41 24.8 12.9 6,361 13.4 9.3 7.4 13.9 5.1 4.6 3.7 2010 Volatile Inhalants 209 346 17.8 2.7 3,752 11.5 9.6 9.1 1.9 3.4 13.4 7.7 1973 GHB 208 40 27.2 5.8 3,668 21.2 16.4 2.4 6.7 0.5 14.9 17.8 1996 Methylone 176 56 27.1 17.8 5,750 10.2 3.4 0.6 22.7 0.6 4.0 0.6 2001 Modafinil 153 125 31.4 15.2 3,429 20.3 0.7 0.0 5.9 0.7 7.2 2.0 2001 Absinthe 134 61 22.9 5.5 3,221 13.4 2.2 0.8 9.7 1.5 2.2 0.8 1993 Meditation 130 39 29.7 26.1 7,350 9.2 2.3 14.7 27.9 20.9 1.6 2.3 1982 PCP 124 114 19.8 1.9 3,880 19.4 8.1 2.4 7.3 2.4 1.6 3.2 1970 MDPV 119 31 26.7 7.5 4,047 5.0 10.1 0.8 5.9 0.0 17.7 2.5 2005 Iboga Alkaloid Group 102 2 31.8 34.9 13,112 8.8 3.9 24.5 21.6 2.9 26.5 0.0 1997 1P-LSD 83 0 24.6 18.0 7,022 3.7 1.2 2.4 17.1 3.7 0.0 1.2 2013 (chars) (approx) Published % Entities % Glowing % Mystical % Addiction % Train Wreck % Train Avg Length Avg % Female Authors Earliest Experience Average Author Age Average % Extreme Intensity Unpublished % Rated B or Higher

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 17 NOVEL DRUG BRIEFS 3 ETH-LAD • MDMB-CHMICA • U-47,700 • α-PVP by The Erowid Crew

Erowid monitors and tracks novel psychoactive substances (NPS) and pharmaceuticals. NPSs often reach the public long before robust information is available about MDMB-CHMICA methyl-(S)-2-(1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate them. Following are short descriptions of several NPSs. MDMB-CHMICA is a novel synthetic ETH-LAD cannabinoid receptor 6-ethyl-6-nor-lysergic acid diethylamide agonist first seen in online marketplaces in late 2014. ETH-LAD is a psychedelic It has been sold in a variety in the lysergamide class. of infused herbal smoking Originally described by Dr. products, including in his “Black Mamba”, “Mojo”, 1997 book TiHKAL, it became “Sky High”, and “Black available online in mid-2015. Diamond” (remember that, At first sold with 150 µg due to lack of regulation, per blotter hit, by the end of the contents of such products can change over time). It is 2015 vendors had lowered a full agonist of the CB1 receptor. the dosage to 100 µg, which Typical doses of MDMB-CHMICA are reportedly remains the standard in 2018. 0.1–0.3 mg. Its effects when smoked are not well With effects similar understood, but appear to be similar, though stronger, though not identical to LSD, than those of other synthetic cannabinoids. These effects ETH-LAD is generally well include euphoria, stimulation, apathy, visual and auditory liked. Some report mildly empathogenic effects and hallucinations, paranoia, and anxiety. Onset of effects may describe it as slightly gentler than LSD. It produces strong sometimes be delayed. Primary effects last 2–4 hours. open- and closed-eye visuals at moderate or high doses. A In mid-2016, it was estimated to be the most prevalent few people experience nausea as the effects begin. synthetic cannabinoid in Germany. MDMB-CHMICA is Users report that 20 µg has noticeable effects and that controlled in some countries and legal in others. It was it may be slightly more potent than LSD. Effects last emergency scheduled in the US in December 2016, and 7–12 hours (longer with higher doses), a little shorter in banned across the EU on February 28, 2017. Since then, duration than LSD. it has become substantially less available. Prior to being Cheshire Rat describes her experience with 150 µg banned, it cost an average of about $13 per gram. ETH-LAD (Exp107190): MDMB-CHMICA has been linked to more than 28 deaths in the EU and elsewhere. One experimenter named I lay back on my bed to listen. […] I am melting Call Me Kiwi describes his experience after smoking into the bed and the visuals have totally eclipsed my MDMB-CHMICA (Exp105904): sight. Eyes open, eyes closed, it almost doesn’t matter, but when I do close my eyes and let go I become I had a little more euphoria but so far so good. immersed in bright blue, 3D space full of construction Three minutes go by and I notice it’s getting stronger, paper geometry. […] I’m staring wide-eyed at the not as bad as other synthetics but felt a little uncom- ceiling, feeling awestruck and utterly floored. Every fortable. So when it hit five minutes I felt it continue second is an eternity, and it just keeps going. to build but no warning signs. All of a sudden bam […] I get up to get water, and the glass is full of sucker punch to the face I’m delirious. neon pastel spirograph lines. […] The peak of each It felt like I was lost not like with a hallucinogen song is orgasmic. Sex could have been amazing, but where you’re still there in your head, but a whole new the logistics seem too complicated. The album lasts level of trip I never experienced. Then I got extremely lifetimes, and then it’s over. sick trying to vomit…

18 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 U-47700 α-PVP trans-3,4-dichloro-N-(2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl)-N-methylbenzamide alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone

The opioid U-47700 The synthetic (an analog of AH-7921, cathinone-pyrrolidine another opioid you’ve α-PVP, also known as never heard of) was “flakka”, or “gravel” first synthesized and was first developed by researched in the 1970s a German pharmaceu- MDMB-CHMICA by the Upjohn pharma- tical company in the ceutical company. Like 1960s. Cathinones are its parent compound, it chemicals similar in has never been approved structure and effects or used as a pharma- to the stimulant found in the Catha edulis shrub (khat). ceutical medicine in Alpha-PVP first became popular in the US in 2013. any country. It has been misrepresented as other euphoric stimulants U-47700 became available through online grey markets including 2-fluoroamphetamine, 4-fluoroamphetamine, in late 2014 (from Asian and Eastern European suppliers) 5-methyl-MDA, MDMA, and 5-MAPB, as seen in and over the next few months quickly became the most EcstasyData results. It was placed into Schedule I in the popular novel opioid. Its potency is estimated to be about US via emergency scheduling in 2014 and permanently 7.5 times that of morphine, differentiating it from several on March 1, 2017. It is also illegal in Brazil, China, the far more potent fentanyl analogues and possibly making it UK, and many EU countries. more desirable to broader audiences, including Its dose, effects, and duration are similar to those of occasional users. MDPV, the original “bath salts”. Effects include alertness, Initial descriptions of its effects were very positive, euphoria, and talkativeness, but repeated or high doses with reports pointing to euphoria and “nodding” at oral can trigger paranoia and hallucinations. The two primary doses from 10 to 25 mg and effects lasting a relatively short types of use are performance enhancement (“functional 1–3 hours. In April 2016, musician Prince died of what stimulation”) and euphoric stimulation; opinions on its was determined to be a fentanyl overdose, but U-47700 usefulness for either have been mixed. There is a large was reportedly also found in his system. It is unclear demand for euphoric stimulants in the NPS market. whether Prince took it intentionally or whether he took Though not new among NPS stimulants, α-PVP has a counterfeit opioid tablet that contained it. It was placed received a lot of attention from media outlets under in Schedule I in the United States in April 2018. headlines like “Zombie drug can cause ‘superhuman rage’, TrippyAstronomer describes an experience with 20 mg cannibalism”. That particular headline occurred after 16 (Exp106314): people were hospitalized in Australia in October 2016. Two days later, it was revealed that the hospitalizations were, My very first experience, I took 20 mg which is a somewhat conservative dose. […]Since it was my in fact, the result of an unrelated NBOMe. But low-data first time, and there wasn’t very much information journalists love having a “zombie drug” to blame. on the substance, I figured 20 mg would be a Its effects are described by author ToastedJelly good place to start. I have no opioid tolerance (Exp103367): whatsoever… It had me off my ass and cleaning, organizing [T]he effects were in fact very similar to tramadol. and working like crazy. I made it through almost a full I felt completely content with everything—a feeling day of work in a 3-hour period. I felt happy, talkative, I usually get when on opioids. [I] feel very relaxed smart and productive. Main high lasted about 3 hours and tired, and my breathing slows down and breaths until it started to slowly wear off. Elevated heart rate are deeper. I could easily nod off if I took a higher and restlessness began to kick in and stuck around dose, say 40–50 mg. [A] dose that high may produce for hours afterwards. slight nausea, but nothing overwhelming. Side effects which are not so desirable seemed The effects lasted for two or three hours before to stick around much longer after the high went away. tapering off, and probably an additional hour or two The comedown isn’t terrible in terms of a headache before baselining completely. […] I enjoy it as more or anything, but damn it my heart needs to seriously of an end-of-the-day relaxer, but opioids by nature calm the shit down. I would recommend sleeping have an addictive property to them, so be mindful pills or similar as almost a must to have for the come of your habits! down. •

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 19 The Experience Crew QA& Weighs In

What motivates you to triaging reports with negative Publishing reports that provide an easy Q volunteer to help with outcomes (looking at you, opioids and and pleasant-to-read fundamental sense experience reports? stimulants). Though anecdotal, these of the effects of a drug, and picturing hold a lot of important information how that could help someone who is I became a triager because I was that could someday save a life. considering trying that substance have already reading tons of reports and — ThatFeel a good experience. figured I would use the time more — Fire constructively and give back by Reports that include specific details of volunteering. I enjoy the vicarious substance, dosage, context, and effects Encountering substances that I know experience offered through reading levels. It’s a bonus when there’s nothing about. and am glad that I can gauge what a personality, with unique flourishes of — Spent substance or combination has to offer stream-of-consciousness words that without trying it myself. give a flavor of the experience. It surprised me to find triaging to be a — Lotn — Earth nice filler activity. It’s not necessarily something I have to sit down and I like reports commit multiple hours at a time to More than 250 Erowid volunteers that remind me doing. And with a phone in my pocket of meaningful I can triage anywhere, on the beach, have participated in triaging experiences I’ve on the train, at the gym, etc. and reviewing experience had. And I enjoy — ErichZann reports where the reports since mid-2000. author prepares well, makes good What is hardest about choices, and then triaging and reviewing? Psychedelics have shaped most of not only has a good time, but also Q the major decisions in my life and, as learns something. It can be complicated to review far as I’m concerned, for the better. — Fire reports that involve more than three I couldn’t have used them safely substances or more than five or six without the information gathered from separate dosing instances. experience reports, either here or in What else do you like — Spoon the Shulgins’ PiHKAL and TiHKAL. I Q about working with want to be sure that others have access experience reports? The first report I triaged was almost to good information as well. 12 years ago! Sometimes I only triage/ — Anonymous I like learning about what drugs are review a few reports per year. Then, out there. Also, reports that make me when I do find time, I feel rusty. So I laugh. start by doing some triaging and check What kinds of reports do — Uil whether I’m scoring them about the you like reading? same as other triagers before I trust Q It’s always nice to see a new myself to do reviews. I also find that Any report that describes a subtle or submission from an author who I don’t feel qualified to rate reports unique observation, especially ones we’ve published before, or from about really new drugs until I’ve had that mention preparation, intention, an atypical author, like someone in time to learn about them. self-reflection, or consciousness. their 40s or older. Also, I appreciate — Uil — Spoon that I can still be surprised by what I read, even after reviewing more than Rating reports can be hard. Has the Despite the gloomy tone of many 13,000 reports. author stated dosage? A timeline? of them, I find my passion is in — Spoon Their set and settings? These slight

20 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 details, when considered together, I dislike when people refer to What would you determine whether the reader’s themselves or a friend by an initial. Q tell someone who’s attention will be held long enough Just give fake names, they’re much considering volunteering? for them to glean some knowledge. easier to read! — ThatFeel — Lotn Do it! There’s no pressure and every little bit helps. If you are interested Long reports are harder to get myself in studying any aspect of drug use, to read. Unless the quality is very How have your views Erowid presents an invaluable high, many long reports include a lot Q about the Experience asset. Contributing time gives a of extraneous text that doesn’t provide Vaults changed over time? volunteer valuable experience that much value. helps the world to better understand — Fire Dramatically! I now realize psychoactives. just how large an endeavor the — Pskoactv Experience Vaults are. It gives me a What do you like least greater perspective on the range of It’s wonderful to be a part of the Q about triaging and experiences people can have from the eclectic and ever-evolving group of reviewing? same substances. Erowid volunteers. Members of the — Pskoactv crew have vastly different interests, When I first started, I didn’t realize skills, and lifestyles. I would say how bad many of the reports would When we first developed the experience we share common goals of harm be. Lots of submitted reports aren’t report system and reviewing process in reduction and related to worth publishing. They have too little 2000, we prepared for a future where substance use. useful information for others. I wish we would have 100,000 reports. But I — SellieG there was some way to train authors never quite pictured what that would how to write better reports, but that’s be like. My sense of the usefulness of not an easy thing to do. a large number of experience reports What would you tell — Uil has grown over the last 18 years. Q someone who’s thinking The research value of the collection of submitting a report? The worst part is not being able to is immense, including gems, poorly ask the author questions, sometimes written reports, and everything It’s good practice to keep notes about for clarity and other times for more in between. We get requests from the plants and drugs one ingests. Do information about a it for yourself, whether or fascinating experience. not you intend to publish It can also be dishearten- It’s good practice to keep notes about them. Human memory ing to read about people is fallible and it’s hard needlessly suffering the the plants and drugs one ingests. Do to remember specifics effects of prohibition. it for yourself, whether or not you months or years later. — Pskoactv By keeping a record, it’s intent to publish them. easier to improve future I’m kind of amazed how —Earth experiences and avoid stupid some people’s errors. By submitting a actions are, and I’ve report to Erowid, you can found my enthusiasm for full-blown researchers to use the experiences help others do the same. drug legalization waning. This is dataset on a weekly basis. — Earth not to say that I support the war on — Fire drugs in any way, shape, or form, but I’ve been surprised that it’s not the I’ve come to better understand why At first, I wanted to see all reports best-written reports that seem the most anxious authority figures might take handled quickly, and I was a little valuable. Instead, it’s those that contain some of the steps they do. discouraged by the backlog. Over the most useful information. You don’t —Mujolila time, I’ve realized that isn’t the most have to be a great writer to produce a important thing. More important worthy report, just have a sense of what Reports where “fucked up” or “tripping to me is publishing reports of new you want the reader to know and what ballz” are the main description of substances since there is so little you’ve wanted to know when reading effects aren’t that fun to read. info on them. other people’s reports. — Spoon — Uil — Lotn •

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 21 What’s Like What? Visualizing Complex Data—Simple is Often Wrong by Earth Erowid

sychoactive plants, chemicals, One potential visualization would most accurately records similarities technologies, and practices be an impossibly convoluted many- and differences between substances form a complicated and dimensional map, where each axis in a way that people are interested in. diverse constellation with represents a different measurement or Further, every individual may have a Pwhich humans constantly interact. characteristic of a substance. Even if unique response to sets of stimuli at any Over the years, Erowid has built a data it were feasible to offer such a visual given moment. ontology (categories and relationships) display, it would still be insufficient to Though we at Erowid tend towards using taxonomic schemes created by represent the complexity of the reality: prosaic lists and tables of data, Derek others, and designing our own systems individual neurons are unique micro- Snider’s Venn diagram (below and and databases, to show the similarities scopic solar systems. Each neuron lives right) is a good example of an attempt and distinctions between different inside overlapping interrelated commu- to represent relationships between psychoactives. nicating webs, inside larger and wider mind-altering substances. It blends There are many ways to measure, organizational structures. Sub-atomic together aspects of pharmacology, group, or differentiate mind-altering interactions influ- drugs: experiential effects, molecular ence molecular structure, in vitro or in vivo receptor responses, which binding, receptor activation, agonism shift protein vs. antagonism, neurotransmitter behaviors, which transporter effects, metabolic pathways, alter cellular brain scans outputs, body-area activity. distribution, potency, common routes Up and up, of administration, active metabolites, higher and higher, type of user, cultural associations, levels of organiza- or average cost, among many others. tion build on each Many of these factors can’t be usefully other as they get distilled down to a simple numeric scale, more complex. let alone used to address combinations And meaningful of drugs where the combination itself drug effects extend might be considered one “substance”, beyond a single such as ayahuasca. human being; even To try to describe and capture cultural context similarities and differences, we create and language, which are external to target uses, structures, metabolism, lists and tables filled with substance an individual, alter consciousness and and experiential effects as the criteria names and related data. Substances drive some of the effects of psychoac- for placement in the design. Many that have commonalities are connected tive drugs down at the level of neural others have attempted their own with links. We make word clouds activity. Somewhere in the operations visualizations, some derived from to help define characteristics. We and interactions of those systems and Snider’s work. use groupings based on molecule among the emergent psychoactive Such graphical depictions can help structures, like “phenethylamines” characteristics, arises phenomenal ex- spark debate and discussion. Where or “tryptamines”. We compare lists periential consciousness. would you put cannabis? How is LSD of effects. We base some groupings Ultimately, the most important like methamphetamine? How are they on whether a psychoactive is from a factors for Erowid’s purposes are the different? Where in the Venn diagram natural source, a chemistry lab, or the reported effects. While we love geeky does α-PVP go? It’s a drug-geek party pharmaceutical industry. details, we believe that experience data game: What’s Like What? •

22 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 HALLCNOENS

Dissociatives eliriants t us t At A Psychedelics DEPRESSANTS sergaides STMLANTS g A A2 A pioid Analgesics 1 AA Tryptamines t tus s t ethlanthines t s t A Spathoietic Aines s u s 2 henethlaines su ts A Sedaties pnotics A A schootor tu CAs Att Ainoetones Stiulants t u enodiaepines Ats t t tuts A Cholinergics As tt t t A ut t ut SSRs eCAs us ut t u t t t pical Atpical Antispchotics Antispchotics Images by Derek Snider (Adapted by F. Erowid) u u s ut s

ANTPSCHOTCS by Derek Snider

In 2003, I was taking part in a My categorization was based, inLegend draft as an ASCII drawing to the group. discussion on the USENET group part, on William A. McKim’s Drugs Next, I assembled a proper black and alt.drugs.psychedelics, looking for and Behavioru, in tuts which the g author hads white t Venn t diagram t u and t then a more feedback on how to classify halluci- lumped together ssts all the hallucinogens. g s advanced t color t t version. gt Along the way, nogens into subcategories. The terms I’d never seen anyoneAtsts try this sort g of I showed sttug it to Sasha Shulgin t t (and gt Earth “psychedelic”, “dissociative”, “”, chart, so I worked to place substances Erowid) before adding it to Wikipedia “stimulant”, and “depressant” were based on their pharmacology, their where it was seen by thousands of widely used, but I felt no one had tried relation to similar substances, and people and subsequently removed to identify what drugs were in those my understanding of their effects from because they don’t allow “original groups, nor where those groups were experience reports. research”. One can now find dozens in relationship to each other. I wanted First, I made a rough chart with three of modified versions of this diagram a visual-spatial model. outer category groupings and sent that online, made by other people. •

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 23 WHAT’S ON BLOTTER? The Pineapple Miracle Perhaps the biggest news in 2018 is that Erowid had the largest and most successful fundraising drive in its history! It began on December 14, 2017 when a colleague from the Mycological Society of San Francisco pointed out pineapplefund.org, where an anonymous person was giving away 5,057 bitcoins (BTC) (87 million USD at the time) to non-profits. At the site, there was a short web application and a list of six organizations that had already received contri- butions, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, OpenBSD, and MAPS. Within a few hours Fire filled out the application, selecting “$500,000” from the drop-down for the requested grant size, and then we waited. And waited. “I still don’t believe reality sometimes. Bitcoin As of January 8 we hadn’t has changed my life, and I have far more heard any news. Ten additional organizations had been listed as money than I can ever spend. My aims, goals, recipients. Then the eponymous and motivations in life have nothing to do philanthropist calling with having XX million or being the mega rich. themself “Pine” posted on Reddit listing three So I’m doing something else: donating the new grantees, and saying majority of my bitcoins to charitable causes. the Pineapple Fund had 25B-NBOH Blotter—Photo by BerryTone I’m calling it  The Pineapple Fund.” —Pine gotten more than 10,000 applications. Pine was “still going through them” and would have more to announce in two days. An Erowid volunteer pointed out the Reddit post, and it reminded us of early 2015 when a volunteer rallied us to try for the $82,765.95 Reddit Charity Giveaway that, with three days of full-bore effort, we were able to win. Late that evening, realizing that perhaps we could tip the scales before the opportunity was over, we asked four accomplished friends of Erowid (each a star in a different field) to write endorsement emails and send them to Pine. On the morning of Jan 10 (at 4:20 AM), we ALD-52 Blotter—Photo by Erowid received an email from Pine saying that they had just transferred 18 BTC (worth $250,000 at the moment of transfer) to Erowid Center! It was the largest single donation we’d ever received, and almost a year’s budget. Pine’s public announcement of the grant to Erowid Center was accompanied by the announcement of a matching challenge for MAPS, ending on March 10. We leapt boldly into a type of pushy fundraising we don’t normally do and asked the Pineapple Fund to consider offering Erowid a matching challenge as well. We proposed a dollar for dollar match up to $125,000.

Fentanyl Blotter—Photo by ThizzKat

24 Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 Max America Bequest On Sunday morning, Jan 14, Pine offered us a In 2014 we met an exuberant man named Max matching grant and upped the amount to $250,000. America at Sasha Shulgin’s memorial service. He That increased the maximum donation from described how valuable he thought Erowid was and the Pineapple Fund to $500,000 in BTC said he’d like to make a donation to support the project. and the maximum from the entire drive Later, we had dinner with him and he encouraged us to to $750,000, more than two years of rally to get out to Black Rock City that year. Erowid’s annual budget. A few weeks later, we met up with him at Burning We were super excited, but also well Man and spent most late afternoons sipping champagne in aware of how much work it would be to his purple RV while chatting about drugs, music, and art. raise $250,000 in qualifying donations. It We lost track of Max for a year, but texted him one was the middle of winter in the US, just after day and were asked to call him “right away”. He invited the big annual push for end-of-year donations. us to his home in Nevada, where he’d moved to be closer Soon, other challenges layered to Burning Man. He said it was important, so we drove “I still don’t believe reality sometimes. Bitcoin on in a positive but stressful period over the Sierras for dinner at his log palace-in-progress. that Earth named The Flaming The news was that he’d been diagnosed with terminal has changed my life, and I have far more Toboggan Ride & Portage. Fire cancer and didn’t have long to live. He made another money than I can ever spend. My aims, goals, and Earth both had a bad flu lasting contribution and re-introduced us to a mutual friend, and motivations in life have nothing to do most of January. On the day we Ranger Twilight, who as it turned out, would be the received word of the matching executor of his estate. with having XX million or being the mega rich. challenge, Fire was too sick to Max was a complicated So I’m doing something else: donating the get out of bed. Then, Erowid was character; we very much enjoyed majority of my bitcoins to charitable causes. “evicted” from its office/library his big ideas and wild tales, space and we were instead offered though we often weren’t sure what I’m calling it  The Pineapple Fund.” —Pine the lease on a much better unit to make of him. As he was fading, the Erowid crew had just across the parking lot. But, a global synchronous champagne toast to Max and sent we needed to be fully moved out by Jan 30! him the photos. He died on June 18, 2016. We needed to paint and clean the new Helping to fulfill a last request, later that summer space, build new shelving, box up Erowid’s we joined other friends of Max’s in a small procession books and materials, and move it all. The to the temple at Burning Man, where we left his ashes neighboring gym came to the rescue. In an at the pyre of the community he’d loved so much. intense two hours, a team of 20 people huffed In 2017, after a herculean effort by Twilight to across the parking lot with Erowid’s entire library, liquidate Max’s complex assets and create a trust cheered on by their trainers. to distribute them, Erowid began receiving $10,500 Pine’s initial donation had come in the somewhat quarterly donations from Max’s estate. Much thanks problematic form of bitcoins. We struggled to figure to both Max and Twilight for this show of support! • out how to cash out $400–500,000 in BTC as the price was dropping. We’d had several ways to sell BTC in the past, but never at the volume now required. The Bob Wallace Legacy increased trading led to our main cryptocurrency trading We’re dedicating this issue of Erowid Extracts to account getting locked down due to “unusual activity”. Bob Wallace, who inspired the creation of Erowid’s Administrators were unswayed by the New York Times Experience Vaults and contributed both ideas and stories documenting Pine’s amazing donations. funding to help make it happen. Eventually, we got another trading company to Bob was the first to suggest that we should focus increase our daily transaction limit so that we could sell on Erowid instead of having it be a 40-hour-per-week what we needed, and the terror of tracking the ups and “hobby”. On April 1, 1998, Bob Wallace gave Erowid downs of bitcoin price subsided. its first donation, $3,000. With further support from In six hard weeks of fundraising, and thanks to all of Bob, Fire took on Erowid as her career in 1999. you who contributed during the drive, we successfully Though Bob died in September 2002, he’s never raised $250,000, which was matched with another far from our thoughts. While he didn’t have a will, his $250,000 worth of BTC. This will have a huge impact on widow Megan has made several generous donations Erowid and the world! You’re amazing, Pine. • since his death. As we move into Erowid’s new library/ office space, it’s fun to finally be able to unpack some of the last boxes of books we got from Bob’s library. •

Erowid Extracts 30 — August 2018 25 VERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIM VERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIM VERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIM VERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIM VERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIMVERBATIM

“The black moment is the “Whoever’s calm and sensible is “It may be that you are not yourself moment when the real message of insane!” luminous, but that you are a transformation is going to come. — Jalaluddin Rumi (1207–1273) conductor of light. Some people At the darkest moment comes the without possessing genius have a light.” “If you think anyone is sane you just remarkable power of stimulating — Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) don’t know enough about them.” it.” — Christopher Moore (b. 1957) — Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) “A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light “Darkness cannot drive out “I had been completely delusional which flashes across his mind from darkness: only light can do that. for the last few hours. I had intended within…” Hate cannot drive out hate: only to have a fun exciting trip, but then — Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) love can do that.” ended becoming totally insane. — Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968) I had been so happy to finally “In my mind, I clearly saw a understand the universe, but now brilliant and massive white light, realized none of it had been real.” all encompassing, with billions of — SlipKnot420 (Exp41750) smaller lights moving into it, and Daß alle unsere others moving back out. I saw the “No great mind has ever existed true nature and cycle of life unfold Erkenntnis mit der without a touch of madness.” before me.” Erfahrung anfange, daran — Aristotle (384–322 BCE) — MindTripper (Exp8732) ist gar kein Zweifel… “As if I were not a man who sleeps “In the right light, at the right time, at night and often has all the everything is extraordinary.” same experiences while asleep as — Aaron Rose (b. 1969) [ That all our knowledge madmen do when awake—indeed begins with experience sometimes even more improbable “There are two kinds of light—the is totally beyond doubt… ] ones. Often in my dreams I am glow that illumines, and the glare convinced of just such familiar that obscures.” — Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) events—that I am sitting by the — James Thurber (1894–1961) fire in my dressing-gown—when in fact I am lying undressed in bed!” “Insanity is relative. It depends on “When you make a choice, you — René Descartes (1596–1650) who has who locked in what cage.” change the future.” — Ray Bradbury (1920–2012) — Deepak Chopra (b. 1947) “In the light, we read the inventions of others; in the darkness we invent “The scientists of today think “History is not made by cynics. It is our own stories.” deeply instead of clearly. One made by realists unafraid to dream.” — Alberto Manguel (b. 1948) must be sane to think clearly, but — Shimon Peres (1923–2016) one can think deeply and be quite “Imagination is the only weapon in insane.” “Your dreaming self seeks to tell the war against reality.” — Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) you something your waking ears — Lewis Carroll (1832–1898) will not hear.” “To experience real agony is — Jacqueline Carey (b. 1964) “There is nothing like a dream to something hard to write about, create the future.” impossible to understand while it “Phosphorescence. Now there’s a — Victor Hugo (1802–1885) grips you; you’re frightened out of word to lift your hat to… to find that your wits, can’t sit still, move, or phosphorescence, that light within, “It is a happiness to wonder; —it is even go decently insane.” that’s the genius behind poetry.” a happiness to dream.” — Charles Bukowski (1920–1994) — Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) — Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)