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DATURA IMAGES

Dose

Datura seeds and flowers are usually more potent than the leaves and roots. Potency increases over the reproductive period and peaks while the plant is fruiting. As few as 10 datura seeds taken orally or one leaf brewed into a tea can produce profound perceptual changes, and 30-40 seeds is an extremely potent dose.

Price

Live datura plants are both common as garden/yard plants as well as being available from most garden supply and ethnobotanical companies. Prices of live plants vary by species and vendor. Most datura consumed is from live plants rather than being purchased pre-prepared.

Law

Datura is currently uncontrolled in the United States, though it has been outlawed for human consumption in a few states. Datura appears to be uncontrolled in most other countries as well.

Chemistry

The main active chemicals present in datura are the tropane alkaloids scopolamine, atropine, and hyoscamine.

Pharmacology

Scopolamine and atropine are anticholinergic deleriants. They block muscarinic receptors, which in turn excites dopaminergic neurons. They are readily absorbed, partially metabolized by the liver, and mostly eliminated in urine, with a half-life of about four hours.

Production

Datura grows wild all over the world, and is commercially cultivated as a source of scopolamine. Many species are grown ornamentally.

History

Datura has a long history of medicinal and visionary use in India, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Its use has been reported in medieval European witchcraft as a "flying ointment".

Slang

Jimson Weed; Devil's Apple; Thorn Apple; Stinkweed; Devil's Weed; Malpitte; Moonflower; Toloache (D. inoxia)

Onset

When taken orally, the effects can begin in 20-30 minutes, but may take as long as 2-3 hours to be noticeable, depending on dose. When smoked, effects may begin in as quickly as 5 minutes.

Duration

A moderate datura dose lasts 8-12 hours, while strong doses can cause effects lasting for 2-3 days.

The Experience

The main effects of datura are delirium, extreme disorientation, and realistic hallucinations. Many users report periods of several hours in which they have no memory of what they were doing. Behavior is often irrational and accidental injury is a serious risk. Datura also causes physical effects including blurred vision/inability to focus the eyes (lasting up to several days), dryness of mouth, sedation or excitement, inhibited digestion, and an inability to perspire.

Hallucinations

Unlike the visual effects frequently reported with psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin-containing mushrooms, datura causes frank hallucinations, meaning that the person cannot distinguish between the hallucinations and real objects. Elaborate visions and fantasies are common, sometimes including long conversations with imaginary persons. Smoking phantom cigarettes is often reported, even by non-smokers.

Contraindications:

• Do Not Take Datura Without a Sober Sitter.
• Do Not Operate Heavy Machinery. Do Not Drive.
• Do Not Swim, Avoid Bodies of Water. At least one drowning has been blamed on datura use.
• Do not take datura in situations that may require you to be responsible for yourself or anyone else, or to be able to answer simple questions about who you are and what you are doing.

Accident or Self-Injury

Accidents and self-injuries, sometimes requiring hospitalization, are alarmingly frequent among datura users.

Legal Problems

Several users of datura have reported committing crimes such as breaking and entering or assault while under the influence of datura. We have received reports from people who have come down from a datura experience to find themselves in police custody for crimes they have no memory of having committed.

Addiction Potential

Datura is not believed to be physically or psychologically addictive.

Poisoning

Datura alkaloids can have toxic effects, including coma or death. 4-5 g of dried Datura stramonium leaves can contain a lethal dose of alkaloids, while flowers and seeds are considerably more potent.

Vision Problems

Users of datura commonly report blurred vision, sometimes lasting for several days.