Newsgroups: alt.drugs
From: [j--r--y] at [teetot.acusd.edu] (Jerry Stratton)
Subject: Re: Nitrous oxide (be patient)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 94 01:06:23 GMT

In article <[201302 Z 10011994] at [anon.penet.fi]> [an 37995] at [anon.penet.fi] writes:
Are you Hunter S. Thompson's son? Work on your writing style, you could
be *hot* in the next century.

>	I'm interesting in your opinions, but only when you admit that's
>what they are... opinions.  Do banana peels work?  I'm sure that they don't,
>by which I mean that I'm personally convinced that I won't experience any
>true psychedelic effects from smokin' 'em, convinced enough that I'm not even
>going to bother.  However, I also suspect that The Anarchist's Cookbook is not
>the entire genesis of the story; there's something in them, something that at

The Anarchist's Cookbook is *not* the entire genesis of the story.
That's not opinion, that's fact.

BANANA SMOKING. a hoax perpetrated in 1966 and instigated by Marvin
Garson. It was alleged that the inside of a banana peel scraped off and
dried in the oven would, if smoked, produce a HIGH. Prohibition of
bananas would, of course, be impossible. After due investigation,
federal authorities pronounced the claims a hoax. The purpose of the
jest--to twit narcotics authorities--thus may be said to have been
accomplished.
(Richard R. Lingeman, _Drugs From A To Z).

The vehicle used was the Berkeley Barb, as I understand it. Both they and the
Anachists' Cookbook were aware of the bullshit quotient when they
published, I'm sure (yes, finally an opinion).

>least resembles hallucinogens (I've heard bufotenine).  Those're my opinions;
Hee hee. Bananadine, as I recall.

>somewhere there're facts, but this rumor probably isn't important enough to
>trouble over.  After all, who tries something that doesn't work more than once?
>However, here's the real question.  We all know nitrous oxide 'works'.  But,
>DOES IT KILL BRAIN CELLS?
>	I already know your opinions: no, it doesn't kill brain cells, lack of
>oxygen kills brain cells, and if you do nitrous right, you'll get plenty of
>oxygen.  True, but is it logical to deduce from the fact that oxygen
>deprivation causes structural brain damage the conjecture that repeated
>inhalation of nitrous oxide can't?  It's not obvious to me; maybe some of you
>out there have a little more on the ball.  Maybe not.  Facts, please, if they
>exist; what, if any, are the deleterious (not to say delirious ;)) side
>effects of nitrous use, above and beyond those caused by improper use?  Facts
>with REFERENCES (there's the magic word); I'm sure we'd all be interested.

Blow me. Yes, nitrous does 'kill brain cells' although that's a pretty
general statement. Both life and alcohol also kill brain cells. If
you're truly interested in the medical aspects of recreational drugs,
written for laymen, get the following two books, both, as far as I know,
still in print (unlike the wonderful _Licit & Illicit Drugs_, which I
tend to buy whenever I see it, just so I can give it to friends :*)

FROM CHOCOLATE TO MORPHINE: Andrew Weil & Winifred Rosen. Make sure you
get the 1993 edition. It's the one with the horrible sub-title
"Everything You Need To Know About Mind-Altering Drugs". The sub-title's
wrong, but it's still a good reference.

A PRIMER OF DRUG ACTION: Robert M. Julien. I believe it's in the fifth
edition right now, but I don't know. [Later note: its in the sixth
edition]

Here's the kind of stuff you can expect to find in these books:

Robert M. Julien:
"Occasionally, certain anesthetic agents become misused drugs. Nitrous
oxide is an example. A gas of low anesthetic potency, it is incapable of
inducing deep levels of anesthesia if an adequate oxygen concentration
is maintained. Nitrous oxide induces a state of behavioral
disinhibition, analgesia, and euphoria. One of the problems occasionally
encountered when nitrous oxide is used for recreational purposes is
that, unless the compound is administered with at least 20 percent
oxygen, hypoxia (decreased oxygen content of the blood) can be induced.
But in order to achieve high enough concentrations of nitrous oxide to
get a good behavioral effect, concentrations of 50 percent or greater
must be inhaled. If such concentrations are mixed with room air, inhaled
oxygen concentartions drop to low levels and the hypoxia may result in
irreversible brain damage."
(In other words, don't use it in your vw bus :*)

Weil & Rosen:
"Physicians and dentists have long considered nitrous oxide to be a safe
pharmacological agent. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that
excessive or prolonged use of it can damage the bone marrow and nervous
system by interfering with the action of vitamin B-12. Moreover its use
in nonmedical settings presents several hazards that users should keep
in mind. Breathing it directly from pressurized tanks is dangerous for
two reasons. First, gas flowing from such tanks is very cold -- cold
enough to cuase frostbite of noses, lips and (most serious) vocal cords.
Being anesthetized, a user may be unaware of such injuries until too
late. Second, because nitrous oxide does not support life, it should be
mixed with oxygen if it is to be breathed for more than a few minutes.
At private parties, oxygen tanks are rarely supplied, and people have
died of asphyxiation by breathing straight nitrous oxide through face
masks. One way to avoid these dangers is to fill balloons from tanks and
breathe from the balloons.
'Further, nitrous oxide rapidly leads to complete loss of motor control,
and anyone who breathes it while standing will soon reel about and fall
down. Therefore, it is unwise to try the gas unless one is in a
comfortable sitting or lying position. Serious injuries have resulted
from people inhaling laughing gas while standing in front of open
windows, when driving cars (like your dad, HST), or when operating
machinery. Others have been badly hurt by accidentally pulling heavy
tanks of nitrous oxide over onto themselves (it's mine! all mine! you
can't have any!) while intoxicated.
'People who breathe nitrous oxide for more than a few minutes at a time
may experience nausea, especially if they have just eaten. They may also
feel hung over for some time after. Addiction to nitrous oxide is a real
possibility. Addicts may suffer serious mood and personality changes in
addition to the bone marrow and nervous system damage already
mentioned."

Plus, it's lots of fun. (My opinion, again.)

Jerry Stratton
[j--r--y] at [teetot.acusd.edu] (Finger/Reply for PGP Public Key)
------
"Well, if you can't believe what you read in a comic book, what
 *can* you believe?!"
                   --Bullwinkle J. Moose