27) F05

THE ENTHEOGEN REVIEW
The Journal of Unauthorized Research on Visionary Plants and Drugs
Volume XIV, Number 1
Autumnal Equinox 2005
ISSN 1066-1913
The Entheogen Review

The Journal of Unauthorized Research
on Visionary Plants and Drugs
Editor: David Aardvark

Technical Editor: Keeper of the Trout
Copy Editor: E.V. Love
Design & Layout

Soma Graphics
Address
POB 19820
Sacramento, CA 95819, USA
Web
www.entheogenreview.com
Front Cover
Albert Hofmann
photo by Rolfe Verres
Back Cover
Father of LSD
courtesy of Mark McCloud
In celebration of Albert Hofmanns 100th birthday,
one in every hundred issues is a lucky winner.
Are you feeling lucky?
The Entheogen Reviews Publishing Schedule

Albert Hofmann Speaks
Novel Condensation of d-LA into d-LSD via PyPOB
Shhh Salvia divinorum and Secrecy
Marc Emery Busted
Five Things You Can Do To Help Marc
Hyperspatial Maps
First Voyages with Salvia divinorum
Salvia divinorum on top of Argyreia nervosa Extract:
A Trip in Laugh Land
Galbulimima belgraveana, Agara Bark
Absinthe Not Absent Absence Anyone?
Network Feedback
Correcting Errors
Publishing Errors?
More Corrections?
HPLC-MS Analysis of Acacia obtusifolia
Some Thoughts on Analysis
and Comparisons of Extracts and Synthetic DMT
Seeds & Stems
Mind States Conference Review
Events Calendar
Sources
Book Reviews
Bibliography
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Audio CDs of past Mind States conference presentations are now available
featuring lectures and original interviews with presenters such as:
Pablo Amaringo, Susan Blackmore, Crystal & Spore, Erik Davis, Rick Doblin, Earth & Fire Erowid,
Alex & Allyson Grey, Charles Grob, Stan Grof, Charles Hayes, Sandra Karpetas, Mark McCloud,
Ralph Metzner, David Nichols, Mark Pesce, Nick Sand, Zoe Seven, Sasha & Ann Shulgin,
and many others. For details, see:
www.musqaria.com/mindstates
Disclaimer: Information presented in The Entheogen Review comes from

many different sources and represents the opinions and beliefs of a highly diverse
group of individuals. The Entheogen Reviews editors assume no responsibility for
the accuracy of any claims or representations presented in the text, illustrations, or
advertisements of this journal, nor do they encourage illegal activities of any type.
Manufacture, possession, or sale of a controlled substance is a crime that can result
in a lengthy prison term and significant fines.
Statement of Purpose: This journal is a clearinghouse for current data

about the use of visionary plants and drugs. Think of it as a community of subscribers seeking and sharing information on the cultivation, extraction, and ritual use of
entheogens. All communications are kept in strictest confidencepublished
material is identified by the authors initials and state of residence (pseudonym or
name printed on request only). The mailing list (kept encrypted) is not for sale,
rent, or loan to anyone for any reason.
Submissions: Your input is what keeps this journal alive. Dont hesitate to
share your experiences, inspirations, and questions. Confidentiality respected;
after transcription, all correspondence is shredded and recycled or incinerated.
Although we may edit for brevity or clarity, keep those fascinating letters coming in!
Subscriptions: $25.00 (USA), $35.00 (foreign) for one year (four issues).
Cash, check or money order made out to The Entheogen Review should be sent to
TER, POB 19820, Sacramento, CA 95819. Please notify us if your address changes.
Back-issues: A limited supply of back-issues of The Entheogen Review are

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Copyright 2005 by The Entheogen Review. Nothing in this journal may be reproduced in
any manner, either in whole or in part, without written permission of the editors. All rights
reserved. All advertising and advertised products void where prohibited.
Know your Body

Know your Mind
Know your Substance
KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE
Contributors
Albert Hofmann
Rick Doblin
Charles Grob
John Halpern
Michael Mithoefer
Andrew Sewell
Casey William Freeblood Hardison
Daniel J. Siebert
Dana Larsen
Susan Blackmore
Dr. Wily
Benjamin Thomas
Jon Hanna
Jonathan Ott
K. Trout
Ima B. Leever
D.P., CA
Mulga
Clear
Scotto
David Aardvark
CONTENTS
Know your Dose
Know your Source
EROWID
www.erowid.org
A library of information about psychoactive plants and drugs.
VOLUME XIV, NUMBER 1
AUTUMNAL EQUINOX 2005
The Entheogen Reviews

Publishing Schedule
by David Aardvark
At the end of 2003, The Entheogen Review had fallen behind in production, and we were unable to get
the Winter issue out that year. In 2004, while we had hoped to get caught up, we again were only able to get three
issues produced that year, placing us two issues behind. In 2005, spring and summer passed, and not only were we
unable to get caught up in production, but we didnt get any issues produced for the first half of the year. Subscribers wrote in, wondering what was happening and offering suggestions. The most often suggested idea was that we
change the frequency, having The Entheogen Review appear only three times yearly, or twice yearly, or even as a
larger annual yearbook (similar to the Italian publication Altrove). A formal change in the publication schedule
may indeed be an approach that we decide to take at some point in the future. But as we considered the increasing
weight of the backlogged issues, and our lack of enthusiasm for having to rush through producing that much
material if we were ever to get caught up, the path that we should walk became obvious: take a year off.
And so, with the timely release of this Autumnal Equinox 2005 issue, we have absolved ourselves from the pressures of past debts and returned to the present. There will be no Fall 2004, Winter 2004, Spring 2005, or
Summer 2005 issues. What does this mean for our subscribers? Simply that we will extend your subscription
for a year. For example, if your subscription would have expired with the Autumnal Equinox 2004 issue, then it
currently expires with this issue. If it would have expired with the Winter Solstice 2004 issue, then it will expire
with our Winter 2005 issue. And so on. We have altered the codes on the mailing labels to reflect this change, so
you can still see when your subscription will expire: F05, W05, V06, S06, etc. For ease of indexing, pagination for
the last two issues of 2005 will continue forward from the Summer 2004 issue, and a combined two-year index will
appear in the Winter 2005 issue.
In other publishing news, we have finally been able to scare up the funds to reprint our monograph Salvia Divinorum
and Salvinorin A: The Best of The Entheogen Review 19922000. While the main text of this reprint is unchanged,
minor alterations have been made to the resources appendix in order to bring it up-to-date. Due to the high cost of
short print runs, the retail price for this book has increased slightly. It now sells for $29.00 (USA), $34.00 (foreign),
postpaid. We only have a very limited stock of these, and may not reprint it again.
Finally, we want to announce the availability of an exhaustive index for the years that Jim DeKorne was editor of
The Entheogen Review, from 19921997. This index was manually produced by ER contributor S. Bear. It took him
years to complete and is clearly a labor of lovea tribute to the publication. We are pleased to be able to offer such
a useful addition for the first time. This 32-page index can be downloaded for free from www.entheogenreview.com,
or a printed version is available for $6.00, postpaid.
THE ENTHEOGEN REVIEW, POB 19820, SACRAMENTO, CA 95819-0820, USA
81
E A T
Albert Hofmann Chemist, Discoverer of LSD

Stephen Abrams Soma Research Association/Avalon Botanicals
Guenter Amendt Social Scientist, Therapist, Publicist
Mathias Broeckers Literary Scholar, Publicist
Eric Burdon Composer, Musician (The Animals)
Hans Cousto Mathematician and Musicologist
Rick Doblin Founder and President of MAPS
John Dunbar Artist, Co-founder of the Indica Gallery, London
PROBLEM CHILD
& WONDER DRUG
JANUARY 1315, 2006
Held at the Convention Center in Basel, Switzerland
Jochen Gartz Chemist, Mycologist

Sergius Golowin Researcher of Myths, Folklorist
Alex Grey Visionary Artist
Charles S. Grob Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, UCLA
Stanislav Grof Founder of International Transpersonal Association
Christina Grof Founder of the Spiritual Emergence Network
Sue Hall Trance Dancer, Psychonaut, Buddhist, DJ
On the occasion of the 100th birthday of Dr.

Albert Hofmann (January 11th, 2006), the
Gaia Media Foundation presents an international symposium dedicated to the most well
known and controversial discovery of this
outstanding scientist.
John Halpern Doctor, Harvards McLean Hospital
Lectures Panels Seminars Workshops

Concerts Exhibitions Parties
Martin A. Lee Journalist, Writer
Since April 19, 1943, the day that Swiss chemist Dr. Albert Hofmann discovered the psychoactive effects of LSD, millions of people all over
the world have experienced a higher reality with
profound and psychological insights and spiritual renewal; created innovative social transformation, music, art, and fashion; were healed
from addiction and depression; and experienced
enlightened insights into the human consciousness. At this symposium, experts will present
an in-depth review of all aspects of this unique
phenomenon: informing and discussing the
history, experiences, and implications, as well
as assessing the risks and benefits of this most
potent of all psychoactive substances.
Presentations will be simultaneously or consecutively translated into German or English.
For more information and to register, see:
Felix Hasler Neuropharmacologist, Hallucinogen Researcher

Ulrich Holbein Publicist, Writer
John Hoppy Hopkins Photographer
Michael Horowitz Publicist, Editor of Aldous Huxleys Moksha
Michael Klett Publisher
Stanley Krippner Professor, Saybrook Graduate School, San Francisco
Ralph Metzner Consciousness Researcher and Psychotherapist
Mark McCloud Artist, Art Historian
Barry Miles Journalist, Writer, Co-founder of the International Times
Michael Mithoefer Psychiatrist, Medical University of South Carolina
Valerie Mojeiko MAPS Program Director/Clinical Research Associate
Claudia Mller-Ebeling Art Historian, Anthropologist
Amanda Feilding, Lady Neidpath The Beckley Foundation
David E. Nichols Co-founder of the Heffter Research Institute
Reynold Nicole Astrologist
Jonathan Ott Chemist, Ethnobotanist, Writer, Translator
Christian Rtsch Anthropologist, Ethnopharmacologist
Micky Remann Media Artist, Inventor of Liquid Sound, Writer
Carl P. Ruck Mythologist
Manuel Schoch Therapist, Founder of Time Therapy
Andrew Sewell Psychiatrist, Harvard Medical School
Alexander T. Shulgin Pharmacologist, Chemist
Ann Shulgin Psychedelic Researcher, Lay-Therapist
Blaise Staples Comparative Theologian
Wolf-Dieter Storl Ethnobotanist and Cultural Anthropologist
Juraj Styk Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist
Rolf Verres Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Clinic Heidelberg
Franz X. Vollenweider Consciousness Researcher, Psychotherapist
Peter Webster Chemist, Consciousness Researcher
www.lsd.info
Fred Weidmann Visionary Artist

Carlo Zumstein Foundation for Living Shamanism and Spirituality
82
Albert Hofmann
Speaks
in conversation with Rick Doblin, Charles Grob, John Halpern,
Michael Mithoefer, and Andrew Sewell (shown left, top to bottom)
January 11, 2006, is the 100th birthday of Dr. Albert Hofmann.

On the day after his 99th birthday in 2005, he was interviewed via phonebroadcast live on the
Internetby a collection of contemporary psychedelic researchers. The following transcription of
that conversation has been edited and adapted to make it easier to read. An audio file containing
most of the actual conversation (missing only a short bit from the front and back ends) can be
downloaded from www.maps.org/conferences/ah99/howto.html.
Andrew Sewell: Its a pleasure to speak with you today, Dr. Hofmann. Dr. Halpern and
I are working toward restarting clinical trials with LSD and psilocybin at Harvard, and in
pursuit of this I have been gathering a series of cases for publication of people who have
successfully used these hallucinogens to treat their cluster headaches. As you know, a cluster headache is a trigeminal autonomic cephalgia that causes such intense pain that people
sometimes will even kill themselves to escape it. Although we have medications that can
make it more bearable, most have severe side effects or are difficult to take. In the meantime, a grassroots group of cluster headache sufferers, the Clusterbusters, has discovered
that three doses of psilocybin or a single dose of your LSD can cure their headaches for as
long as a year!
I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some of the data I have collected prior to
its publication. I have 93 cases of patients who have used psilocybin. Thirty-seven found it
100% effective and a further 46 found it partially effective in aborting a headache cluster. Of
32 who took it while they had a headache, 30 found it effective in treating the individual
headache. What is particularly interesting is that 47% of these patients achieved headache
control with a dose of psilocybin that did not cause hallucinogenic effects.
I have a further 11 cases who treated their headaches with LSD. Ten found it to be 100%
effective in aborting a cluster and the remaining person found it improved the headaches
more than 75%. Again, half were able to achieve therapeutic success with a sub-psychedelic
dose, sometimes as little as 25 micrograms.
I trust you find these results as exciting as we do, and we all look forward to the day when
your problem child can become a miracle child!
Rick Doblin: When you were first synthesizing LSD for Sandoz, back in 1938, what did
you think it might be used for at that point? What kind of a medicine where you looking for
through the whole ergot series?
83
Albert Hofmann: I was looking for a substance like a

psychological stimulant, like uhwhat is name of
Albert: Not amphetamine, no, no
substance, plant, and it was always used in a sacred environment with priests, by priests. And LSD belongs to these safe
plants. One must realize it is not just a stimulant, or just a
sleeping pill. It really changes the very heart of the human
being, which is the consciousness. And one must always be
conscious of this fact.
Andrew: Hydergine? Mescaline?
Rick: And we need it so much, in todays world.
Albert: The fourth ring of lysergic acid is a ring like in
Albert: Our society needed a change in consciousness. Just

to see what is important in life, what is very important. Not
the technical world. But that we realize that we are part of
creation of the living Nature. We must become conscious of
that. And that is something that is not just a medicine, it is
the product of a sacred plant. I think for the future, I can imagine that LSD could be a sacred medicine in a meditation
sense. Meditation centers like Eleusis, where people would
try to get deeper in the ego, probe the consciousness, and
have the possibility to have this experience, with a pure substance, in a wonderful environment, and with guides who
know these things. That is my vision for the future. Something like Eleusis.
Rick: Like amphetamine?
Rick: Serotonin?
Albert: No, no mon dieu what is it?
Andrew: Ergotamine?
Albert: Nicotinic acid diethylamide, do you know the name
for this? It is
Andrew: NAD.
Albert: coramine! I thought it could be used like coramine
because the structure of lysergic acid is the nicotinic acid
structure. And therefore I prepared an analogue of this
coramine, which is this nicotinic acid diethylamide. I prepared the diethylamide of lysergic acid because of this chemical similarity. And I expected thislike coramineto be a
stimulant of heart and lung, a stimulant of circulation. That
was because I believed in analogy of chemical structure. And
it was a heart stimulant and not a stimulant for breathing,
but it became extremely, as you know, what it is! (laughs)
Rick: (laughs) And an even more important stimulant of the
mind.
Albert: Yes, yes, it is really. And what I always must say is,
one should realize, such kinds of medicines have been used
for over 3000 years, always as sacred drugs. Never just as other
things. It was always sacred, like ololiuqui and mushrooms.
It was always for contact with higher forces, with our higher
consciousness. And we should realize this. Why did people
3000 years ago use mushrooms and the ololiuqui? That was a
special kind of substance. They realized it changes our consciousness. And a consciousness is the heart of the human
being. And it quite different from just a stimulant, or just
something sleep-producing. It is a change of our consciousness.It cannot be compared with others. It is the same
imagine in fact ololiuqui, it is practically this very old
84
Rick: This is a little bit out of order, but Charlie could you
tell Albert about the efforts in the United States to legalize
the religious use of ayahuasca? Because, I think that the
kind of centers youre talking about, Albert, they may be
possible.
Charles S. Grob: Well, Ive done research with one of the
ayahuasca churches of Brazil, the Unio do Vegetal, or UDV.
And in the early 90s, they established Center in the United
States, primarily in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1999, Customs
and the DEA confiscated their ayahuasca, preventing them
from conducting their ceremonies. The UDV in the United
States filed suit against the Justice Department. In 2001, the
case was heard in federal court, and to my surprise, the federal judge ruled in favor of the UDV, primarily on the issue
of health and safety. The federal judge ruled that the government had not established that there were health and safety
risks with ayahuasca. The federal judge did not agree with
the UDV, however, that they were entitled to equal protection under law in regards to the Native American Church;
that the Native American Church was a discrete nation,
and had made a separate treaty with the United States. In
any event, the Justice Department appealed the federal
judges ruling, and it went to the Circuit Court of Appeals
in Denver. It was heard by a panel, the panel ruled 2 to 1 in
favor of the UDV. Again it was appealed by the Justice
Department, it went to the full appeals court, and, a couple

months ago that court ruled 8 to 5, again in favor of the UDV.
At that point it was appealed and went to the Solicitor General, and it looked initially like it was going to be heard by
the Supreme Court, but several weeks ago, the Supreme
Court essentially lifted the injunction against the UDV using
ayahuasca in their religious ceremonies, allowing the Church
to holdas far as I was toldtwo ceremonies, around
Christmas time. So, at this particular point in time, there does
appear to be a legal use of ayahuasca within the context of a
particular religious structure, the Unio do Vegetal. So things
have moved forward, to a surprising degree, given the increasingly conservative direction our federal government
is taking.
Albert: Yes, I have no experience with ayahuasca. I cannot
compare it, as I have no experience. But I think LSD is really
a very dangerous drug if it is not legalized, if it is not used in
a psychologically controlled way. It is a sacred drug. What
else can I say? And it may be ayahuasca has the same use.
But what I know from the chemical point, it is quite different. Imagine: it is a part of a gram, a microgram, which is
used for LSD. It is the very very most active psychologically
working substance that we have. And also very specific.
Therefore I think, I cannot compare it with ayahuasca. I dont
know, maybe ayahuasca could also be used only in a religious
context. I just cant compare it, because I have no experience
with ayahuasca.
Charles: One protective factor with ayahuasca against it
being used recreationally is that it often causes significant
gastrointestinal side effects, deterring many individuals
from using it in a recreational context. I am only aware of
ayahuasca use in a group ceremonial setting.
Rick: Can you describe, Charlie, what you think the subjective similarities and difference are between ayahuasca and
LSD?
Charles: Thats a tough one, in just a couple minutes. Really, it depends so much on the set and setting. But it does
appear to induce quite a profound subjective psychedelic
state. If you were to compare it to anything, perhaps it would
be closest to mushrooms. And there is the potential, if used
under optimal conditions with the appropriate intention, for
individuals to have very powerful religious/spiritual epiphanies, which can be utilized to motivate transformational
changes in their lives subsequently. It is a shorter-acting
substance than LSD. LSD is an eight- to ten-hour experience.
Ayahuasca is generally only four hours or so. So in a sense,

more manageable. It induces significantly more somatic side
effects. But the internal state is, I think, within the realm of
psychedelic experience and quite profound and valuable
when used under ideal conditions.
Albert: Like I told you, I have no experience with ayahuasca.
Rick: Well, Albert, theres still time(chuckles)
Albert: And the history of ayahuasca, has it also been a holy
drug in antiquity?
Charles: Well, because of the weather conditions for archeological evidence in that part of the world, its hard for things
to be preserved. Nevertheless, theres quite good indication
that ayahuasca was used by the native tribes going back long
before the Europeans came into that area that it was used
for native religious purposes, but also to facilitate practical
matters, such as facilitating the hunt. In a sense it would prepare the hunters to find game, and the like. But also it had a
spiritual context in which it was used. Throughout the Amazon basin, wherever the plants would grow wild, the native
people seemed to figure out how to utilize them. And they
utilize them in a consistent manner, from area to area.
Albert: Hmm.
Rick: I think, Albert, the idea of the meditation centers, and
the idea of spiritual use of LSD, thats going to be a little bit
harder, because thats an individuals personal connection
to spirituality whereas, at least in our legal system, for the
foreseeable future, these drugs have to be like ayahuasca use
within the UDV, within a social structure or a religious context, based on group religion. Were not quite at the point
yet where individuals can have their own approach to spirituality directly, in some kind of a legal context outside of a
particular religion. But is an opening for the UDV
Charles: Its a necessary first step, and perhaps the UDV
is a Christian church, certainly many people would debate
the merits of that. Nevertheless, from a political point of
view, Im sure that has helped the political process to move
forward.
Rick: John, would you mind now talking a little bit more
about our research projects here, and what youre doing with
the LSD/psilocybin cluster-headache project, as well?
85
John Halpern: Sure. Greetings Dr. Hofmann, happy birthday.

Albert: Thank you.
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86
John: When I saw you at the last European College for the Study of Consciousness conference, I had to apologize to you for not speaking any German.
Now I apologize that all I can say is entschuldigen Sie and sprechen sie Deutsch. So
its still in English. You heard from Dr. Andrew Sewell, about the progress were
making in looking at what people are telling us; that LSD in particular, and psilocybin, do something that no current standard medications offer for these people.
It may truly alter and improve cluster headache, which is the worst headache of
them all; people commit suicide to get away from this type of headache. So its
compelling. Its just the sort of research project that somebody involved in academic research for helping people, lives to discover, I think: that we might be able
to offer a true relief for people who dont really have anywhere to turn anymore.
And so, your problem child may be a savior for a very important population of
patients. Andrew didnt mention it, but hes a psychiatrist and a neurologist. I
think thats what it would take, because obviously LSD should be administered
by physicians most familiar with the psychological components of the acute effects of LSD. Fortunately we have somebody whos an expert on headaches working with us on this, too. Its really quite promising; weve held initial meetings
with the administration here at Harvards McClean Hospital. Theyre supportive of it because theyve met some of these patients, and theyve even seen a video
of what its like for a person to go through the traumatic experience of this type of
headache. Its truly a terrifying thing to behold. And to see a group of people seeking us out that were not from any drug reform movement, or advocacy movement; they came from this community of support for people who have cluster
headachethat they sought us out because they discovered that this really improves their lives, its just remarkable to hear this from these people. So the credibility of how this is starting out goes a long way. I think thats the first part of it.
The other part is trying of course to make sure we have the LSD to use, and Im
glad to report that I think that we will have Drs. Yensen and Dryer transferring
to us the Sandoz LSD that they still retain, thats from a study thats still on hold
with the FDA. So Sandoz LSD may eventually be used in this coming project for
cluster headache. I thought youd be pleased to hear that. The LSD was taken up
under argon, so it still should be pure and active. This study will, Im sure, be
quite controversial, when it starts getting press attention. But we will be focusing
on that its about these patients and helping them, and being good, caring physicians, nothing more, nothing less. The political side of it I will leave to our other
friends. And, hopefully that will change the way this country and the world takes
a look at your problem child. We should be reporting back to you more good
news, I think over this year.
The other study that Im actively working on right now is similar to one that Dr.
Grob is going to tell you about with his project. I have FDA approval to give MDMA
to cancer patients who have less than a year to live, and have a diagnosis of Associated Anxiety Disorder. It will be with twelve individuals, and there will be six
non-drug sessions, and two sessions where people will be receiving MDMA in
conjunction with psychotherapy. We will be tracking whether this changes their
sense of pain, their use of medication, their use of benzodiazepine anti-anxiety medications. And we will be videotaping the sessions, primarily to deepen the psychotherapy
the patient can take it home and watch itbut also for training purposes, and even in case theres something that might
go wrong. We expect to be able to start that study in the next
two years. Then
Rick: Because thats something that was just sort of lost in

the history of LSD research. I mean, I had not even heard of
cluster headaches before the cluster headache patients came
to us, and said that LSD and psilocybin helped them. Now
Andrew, you had assumed that its not the actual psychoanalysis, though, because some people have said that with
LSD its from the sub-psychedelic threshold dose.
Rick: Wait, start the study in the next two years? We hope to
start within the
Andrew: I think the psychedelic effects are not related to

the headache-abating effects.
John: Im sorry, within the next two months.
Albert: Yes. It was used for people who did not, could not,
were not able to respond to analysis; with LSD an opening
could be created by the psychiatrist.
Rick: (laughs) Okay

John: Thank you Rick. Hes paying for all this, Dr. Hofmann,
so hes carefully watching the timeline.
Rick: John, one other thing Albert talked about how in a
way these substances should be approached in a spiritual
context? Could you talk a little bit about that? Because youre
going to be working with people who are dying, and so this
is kind of a combination of psychiatry and sacred spirituality to help people deal with mortality.
Albert: I remember when LSD was a substance distributed
by SandozI called it already, a pharmacological aid to
psychoanalysisI had nine people write me that they had
terrible headaches. They had even had psychoanalysis but it
had not helped. It was people who were seventy or sixty years
old, who had had a lifelong headache, and psychoanalysis
without result. The first session of psychoanalysis with the
help of LSD, opened the person so that he healed. They told
me that really that completely changed their life. And that
was legal, and not a religious use, but I was impressed that
people had analysis for years and years without any help, and
under LSD, analysis was successful. If it could be possible
that LSD could be used officially, as a medical aide in psychoanalysis, then we have the possibility to get more experience and can study the mechanism and the very use of LSD.
One could continue what was interrupted in the 60s. This
pharmacological help in psychoanalysis, that would be a very
clear indication.
Rick: Its so exciting to hear you say that, about how people
spontaneously talked to you about the use of LSD with headaches, and having the headaches go away.
John: I spoke with Jan Bastiaans, just a few months before

he passed away, and he told me virtually exactly everything
you just said now about his life work, and using LSD in his
analytic practice in Holland, and he was very worried that
something that he was convinced truly made all the difference for those patientswho could not talk about, for example, the trauma of the Holocaustthat it was the LSD
that opened them up, and allowed them to talk finally about
this very difficult material. He was very worried for the students that he left behind, to carry on the work. So, this time
around, were going to do everything in the open. Our protocol is on the Internet for people to read, and it will get published, and hopefully we will be challenging our colleagues
if they dont believe our workto try to replicate it, and disprove us. So that the work with LSD, or MDMA, or psilocybin, will be approached fully from within accepted modern
scientific research. I was very excited that yesterday, on your
birthday, I was invited to Brown University to present on
psychedelic research to the residency in psychiatry. At the
conclusion of the lecture, I asked all the residents if any of
them felt that this work should not happen. And not a single
one raised their hand. So we may be at this point, that its
acceptable to move forward with this type of work, doing it
fully in a legitimate and legal way, and answer these questions that seem so promising. Rick asked about the spiritual
side of the work, and I would just answer that by saying that
we wont shy away from it, we wont run away from the spiritual component involved with it. In fact, if that is what comes
up primarily in the discussed material with the participants,
then we will go towards it, and see if we can help deepen their
direct spiritual experience. And hopefully, we have the
tools that we can capture that this is a valid and therapeutic
response.
Albert: Yes.
87
Rick: I should add that I think there is definitely something

sacred about the scientific process as well. Many of us have
so much hope and faith that through the rigorous scientific
process there is a way to get closer to truth and that theres
something beautiful and sacred about science. Its not surprising in a way then, that science would help us look at, with
psychedelics, the spirituality in peoples life, and mortality.
John: Well, with the results from my study of the Navajo,
who use peyotemescalinein their religious ceremonies,
I did not find any problems in thinking. I did find that they
report healthier lives, more lifetime satisfaction, less depression, less anxiety in their life, better connections to their community. And it even was dose-dependentthose who had
been participating in the church the longest, or the most,
had the most vibrant differences from those who do not
follow the Native American Church, and follow different
religions. So: one part religion, one part phenethylamine for
them.
Rick: I was thinking, Charlie, that youd speak next, but
Michael, do you have to leave at one?
Michael Mithoefer: I do, yeah.
Rick: So maybe Michael, if you could talk next about our
MDMA/post-traumatic stress disorder study?
Michael: Id be happy to.
Rick: Charlie, do you have time?
though this is MDMAI feel a great debt of gratitude to you

and your work. Because my wife and I, who are the co-therapists in the study, have both studied with Stan Grof. Hes
been an important teacher and mentor for us. The model
for the way we approach working with people in our MDMA
study comes from his LSD psychotherapy, which of course
he developed working with LSD. So, this is very much a follow-up of your work, in that way. What were finding is, well,
several important points, I think. One is that we pay a great
deal of attention to set and setting. We have a very amenable
place for people to work, and were with the subjects during
their MDMA sessions for eight hours, to support them in
their experience. Actually, now there are two stages of the
study. The first stage is double-blind placebo-controlled.
Sixty percent of people get MDMA on two occasions, and
forty percent get placebo on two occasions. Then along with
that there are eleven other psychotherapy sessionstwo beforehand, and others after the sessions. So theres a lot of
attention paid to preparing people for the experience, and
then supporting them in integrating the experience. I think
all of that is also in the tradition that youve spoken about so
eloquently today, that these substances need to be used in a
way that gives a lot of attention to the intention and the support with appropriate guides; the way theyre used makes all
the difference. So were paying a lot of attention to that. Weve
just recently gotten permission to do a second stage, in which
the people who got placebos will be then offered two MDMA
sessions, so theyll act as their own controls. Were looking
forward to now starting to work in that way.
Albert: I wish you much success in your studies, in your
work.
Charles: Yeah, Ive got a few minutes.

Rick: Okay.
Michael: Hello, Dr. Hofmann. Its an honor to talk to you
today, and happy birthday.
Albert: Thank you, thank you.
Michael: Were doing a pilot study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, for people with post-traumatic stress disorder
that has not responded to conventional treatments. We
started this study in March of this year, we got our final approval in February of 2004. The study is going to include
twenty subjects altogether, and thus far five people have finished the study, and we have some others who are getting
ready to start. One thing I want to say at the outseteven
Michael: Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Were very

encouraged about the way its going so far, and I very much
appreciate getting your thoughts about this whole study
thing.
Rick: Michael, could you describe the recent expansion of
the study?
Michael: Yes, initially, our protocol called for working with
crime-related PTSD only, people who had been raped, or who
had suffered childhood sexual abuse, or other violent incidents. And now the FDA granted us permission to work with
war veteranspeople who, in this case, have had PTSD for
less than five years. Theres now the possibility to work with
some people returning from Afghanistan or Iraq with PTSD.
Rick: I think this will make our study more acceptable, too,
to the American public, because were working with people
who are very sympathetic to the general population. Starting to work with war-related post-traumatic stress disorder,
and then also working with cancer patients, I think were trying to show that these substances and these states of mind
dont inherently make people drop out of society, or want to
start a counter culturethat we can weave them into our
culture as it is, and as it will grow. Hopefully, we wont be
rejected and repressed the way it was 40 years ago, when this
all came up so strong; and that now, I think, after several
generations, hopefully the culture is better able to accept and
integrate these states of mind and the ways were trying to
help people with them.
Michael: Its been interesting to me thatyou know, our
numbers are still very small, butthe people who have come
to these studies have not been people who have used a lot of
these kinds of drugs. Theyve used a lot of prescription medications, but theyre peoplemany of themto whom it
never occurred that they would use any substance like this.
But they were so desperate to find a solution and their therapist referred them, and theyve gone back to rather conventional lives, but with many fewer symptoms. The experience
so far is very consistent with that, that these can be used
in the context of mainstream culture, without causing disruption in peoples lives, but with causing possibly a real
improvement.
Albert: Uh, Rick? Yes. I thank you very, very much for helping to bring this material, Sandoz documentation, to the
Internet. And I ask you, wouldnt it be very important to analyze this material; I am sure that many experimental results
could be used for the future.
Rick: Yes, I think thats very true
Albert: It is very important, this material, with three to four
thousand items. I am very, very happy that you brought it to
the Internet, and why not use this material? And analyze
it and see? I think very much experiential experimental
material is contained there.
Rick: Yes. I think actually as part of our application to the
FDA, to the McLean Hospital institutional review board,
for the LSD study, and the psilocybin study with cluster headaches, we will be reviewing all of the literature as it relates to
the safety of the compound, and anything we can see about
its use for headaches, and then well also continue on with
that project, to try to analyze the existing information about

therapeutic uses. Weve had to do that with MDMA, and so
far weve spend about $125,000 reviewing several thousand
studies with MDMA, to summarize that, and then submit
that to FDA and the institutional review boards. I think with
the cluster headache study that gives us the opportunity to
try to do something similar with the LSD and the psilocybin
literature. And Im just so glad that you saved all those papers over the years, because a lot of those papers we would
have had a very difficult time finding in libraries; many of
them are before the 1960s, theyre not even indexed on
Medline. So that fact that you had a pretty complete collection we were able to scan and digitize and archive on the Internet; it really helped save this whole field of research for
the future, and now anybody can access the archive for free.
And analyzing it is on our agenda. It is the next thing that
well be doing as part of the LSD/psilocybin cluster headache protocol.
Albert: Yes, very important. Another thing: After LSD came
into medical use, I was asked by physicians if we should make
an LSD which would work only three hour. LSD is difficult
to work with because it lasts twelve hours. And you need too
much to surveil the patient when working with LSD. And,
what do you think about that? Is that real reason for not using LSD, and looking for other substances, because LSD
works too long?
Rick: I dont think that thats a valid reason. In fact, I remember one time Stan Grof was talking about how, when people
smoked DMT, that they have unusual experiences, but it
doesnt seem to necessarily produce therapeutic changes. He
also said something similar about ketamine, that it also produces very dramatic experiences but they only last a relatively
short time. And Stan thought that sometimes the length of
time that youre in an altered state experience permits you
to learn more. Because a lot of times theres the defenses
its scary material, and people run away from whats coming
up in their minds. Then they gather strength andover time
can look at it again, and they get more and more benefit from
it, the longer the experience lasts. I am thinking right now of
ibogaine, which is used in the treatment of addiction, and
that lasts, I would say, sometimes even longer than LSD. I
think really that its more that psychiatry and psychotherapy
need to change, to work around the gifts that LSD offers,
rather than we should try to squeeze LSD into the traditional
analytic model of the fifty-minute therapy session.
Andrew: Also, theres the issue that one dose of LSD has an
effect, that makes it different from conventional medications
that have to be taken every day. If one LSD session is the
equivalent of, say, twelve psychotherapy sessions, the total
amount of time youre spending on it is the same.
Rick: Ayahuasca is in a sense that sort of a drug, its like a
two- or three-hour LSD experience, somewhat similaralthough Charlie says its closer to mushroomsbut there are
short-acting psychedelics, and they do have a role in their
religious use. I think that the Unio do Vegetal wouldnt be
able to use a longer-acting drug as easily. Although the Native American Church, again, has used peyote in all-night
ceremonies. So I think the value of the time that youre in the
altered state, LSD, just the way it is, is tremendously potentially therapeutic and inspirational and spiritual, and I dont
think that thats really a reason to try to abandon it and look
for a shorter-acting substance. I mean, MDMA is shorteracting, and it has a therapeutic use, but I think, in these meditation centers of the future, all these psychedelic clinics, that
there will be a spectrum of substances that people could go
there to experience. And that the therapists will be trained
to work with a range of substances. They may start with
MDMA, or move to ayahuasca, and then move to LSD; there
may be a sequence, but I think that LSD just exactly the way
it is will have a very important role in these meditation centers and psychedelic clinics.
Michael: I think our experience with MDMA supports the
value of a longer time of a process, because even though the
MDMA lasts four or five hours, were with the people for
eight hours, then they spend the night, and use that time in
a meditative way with a support person there. Then we meet
with them again for an hour and a half the next morning. So
actually, its a 24-hour experience for them all together, and
I think thats tremendously valuable.
Albert: Mm, hmm.
Rick: Charlie, would you like to explain about your study
now?
Charles: Sure.
Mike: Oh excuse me, Im going to have to get off, but Im
sorry to miss what youre going to say. Ive really enjoyed this
discussion, I thank you all.
Charles: Hello again, Dr. Hofmann! First, again, many,

many thanks and much gratitude, for your laying the foundation to this field, because obviously none of what were
talking about, none of these exciting new developments,
could have occurred without the critical work you did many
years ago. Also, let me just allude to one issue that you and
John brought up about the transcendental, or spiritual, experience that might be induced by psychedelics. Just looking back at the old literature, in particular at the literature
with alcoholics and drug addicts, finding that what often was
the critical, distinguishing, variable between those patients
who had positive therapeutic outcome versus those who did
not, was that those who did seemed to have some kind of
transpersonal or spiritual epiphany. So that might beeven
though modern medicine and psychiatry recoil to some degree at the notion of looking at spirituality as therapeutic
a critical component of the psychological mechanism of
therapeutic effect. But getting to our study, we have a study
at Harbor UCLA Medical Center thats been developed
with the Heffter Research Institute; were approved to
treat patients with advanced cancerStage Three and Stage
Four metastatic cancer, who have tremendous overwhelming anxietywith moderate-dose psilocybin. Thus far weve
treated two subjects with good effect; we have a third that
were going to treat next week. Anxiety is the key symptom
were looking at, secondarily were looking at mood, pain,
need for narcotics to suppress pain, and quality of life. Essentially its a placebo-controlled, double-blind, each subject
acts as their own control, and they will have an active medicine session and a placebo session. The order is variable, so
and its all double-blind, so we dont know what theyre getting on each occasioneach of the subjects will have an experience. We are having some challenges recruiting patients
for this study, we are actively looking for new patients; interestingly, all of our subjects to date had prior psychedelic experience back in the 1960s and 1970s, so when they heard of
the study they understood implicitly the mechanism and the
rationale, so those are the subjects at least who have stepped
forward at this point. But again, its proved to be somewhat
challenging getting the word out about our need for subjects.
Im taking this opportunity to mention that. Were encouraged, with the overall structure of the study, and our results
to date. Again, much gratitude and appreciation for your
critical work years ago, and your continued support for our
efforts in recent years.
Rick: Charlie, what do you think about the length of time
that you have to spend with people with psilocybin?
(Goodbyes)
90
Charles: Were with them for six hours. Thats the structure of the session, and that appears to be quite adequate for
what were doing. The subjects weve worked with thus far
felt they got a great deal out of the experience. I would say
moving beyond six hours becomes, logistically, more challenging for the treatment facilitator. Youd almost have to
have teams ready, one team replacing the other. A ten, twelve
hour, closely-monitored experience would be pretty arduous
for the doctor and the nurse team. I would also say that, Ive
studied ayahuasca quite a bit, its generally at maximum a
four hour experiencebut, the subjective sense of time certainly slows down. So, what objectively may be measured at
four hours could be an eternity for the individual in the experience. Certainly the report I hear over and over again is
that tremendously valuable information is gained during
even the short time period compared to LSD. I dont necessarily think its essential to have a marathon session, although
there might be some advantages in particular situations.
Rick: Do you see any arguments against LSD or psilocybin
because they last so long?
Charles: No, not necessarily, its a relative issue. Certainly,
its therapeutic capacities need to be explored, and compared
to these other medicines. It would not be a prohibitive
factor, its a logistical consideration.
Rick: Now, one other question, this is also for you, John,
because the history of the research working with the terminally ill is really with LSD. Starting Eric Kast in the early
60s, and then Aldous Huxley, who took LSD
Charles: Its mostly with LSD, although Grof did work with
dipropyltryptamine, which is somewhat shorter-acting.
Rick: So now were starting with psilocybin and MDMA, and
I think that, along this line, we should think about adding
at some point, after we have the cluster headache study approveda group that receives LSD. Im wondering, John or
Charlie, your intuition: do you think there will be significant therapeutic differences between psilocybin and MDMA
and LSD, or do they all more or less open people up to their
emotions, and more or less act in a similar way?
John: Well, I think it relates to what Charlie was mentioning earlier, harking back to the few lasting positive contributions we have from the days of Leary, which is set and setting. And as we gain more direct experience in working with
these compounds again, were going to be better able to help
prepare our subjects, our patients, for realizing the full potential of the treatment. And so, any of those substances can
induce no sense of spirituality or connection with something
greater. It really is the intention that goes into it, and the
preparation, and of course the setting, and well be hard at
work to try to optimize those. Of all of the substances,
MDMA is starkly different than LSD and psilocybin, because
theres preservation of ego, even in higher doses. Especially
with larger doses of LSD and psilocybin, thats a more difficult thing to try to prepare individuals forthat they may
lose their sense of self, as part of the process of the experience.
Charles: I agree. I also think that my best sense of this would
be that all of these substances will have significant value over
not utilizing this model of treatment at all. Nevertheless,
within this model I think were going to see some distinct
differences between MDMAa phenethylamine empathogenon the one hand, and LSD or psilocybinclassic psychedelic substanceson the other.
Rick: To really experimentally get at that, would either of
you be interested in a future study where we have a group
that gets randomized either to LSD or psilocybin or MDMA?
Charles: Sure. In the best of all possible worlds, you bet.
John: I would, absolutely. And I would just throw in one
other, and that is mescaline.
Charles: Sure. That would bring in the third classic hallucinogen. And we should also consider what might the applications of ayahuasca be? Although ayahuasca will have some
challenging considerations, given drug-drug interactions,
and some individuals might not be wise to use ayahuasca.
Nevertheless, with all the treatment applications here,
ayahuasca may have a very valuable place, ultimately.
Rick: Albert, Im wondering if you have any suggestions for
us about things that we might want to look into regarding
LSD and psilocybin? I remember, a while ago, you said one
of the most unexplored areas of research with LSD was low
doses?
Albert: Yes, that would be interesting. Just as a kind of
pleasure drug. Heh heh.
Rick: Ah.
91
Albert: Very, very low doses; this could be a worthwhile

study. I have used it, sometimes, just very small doses, for
walking and thinking. This could be a worthwhile study.
Rick: What kind of doses are you talking about, when you
would go out walking?
Albert: There is already a large number of studies, literature is already there, experience by these people that I
namedGrof, and Kast, and Pahnkevery important
research, and I think it should be followed up on. What do
you think?
Rick: I agree.
Albert: 25 microgram. Twenty-five, instead of 125. Or even

lower: ten.
Rick: Wow. Can you actually notice when you take ten micrograms? Can you notice that youve taken it?
Albert: Oh, yes! Yes. An improved response to nature. Improved experience of nature, yes. And of thinking, a big improvement of thinking. But, may I just add to this discussion, quite another thing: the work of Kast, Walter Pahnke,
and Grofthat it may be used for dying people.
Rick: Yes.
Albert: I think that is a so very, very important thing in our
time: the people who are suffering terrible pain, which resists other pain medicaments, have been treated very successfully. And I think this should be continued, this study in dying people who suffer terrible pain. We have a big investigations and publications from Kast, Pahnke, and Grof. What
do you think? That it be allowed; if the danger of becoming
addicted to LSD would not exist, if you use it in this kind of a
very, very important use in our time?
Rick: Yes. I think we should definitely try to get LSD back
into research for helping people with terminal illness. I think
that for many people, LSD is the most controversial psychedelic of all. So I dont think its surprising that right now,
theres not a single, legal study anywhere in the world in
which LSD has been given to human subjects. And that weve
been able to get permission for research with DMT, psilocybin, ibogaine, MDMA, and mescaline, and yetso far, not
yetLSD. But I think that this LSD cluster headache study
will be the one that will have an excellent chance of actually
restarting LSD research. In a way I think its possible because
its not LSD psychotherapy that were asking the regulatory
authorities to accept, its pharmacological. And from there I
think we can build to LSD for therapy.
Albert: I think that it is the relief of pain, it is not just the
Rick: Ah yes. Oh, I see what youre saying
92
Albert: I spoke with Grof, and he also thought personally

that it would be very important in our time, the big discussion about dying people, with problems which do not have
the help of religion. LSD could have a place as a pharmacological aide.
Charles: Interestingly, Eric Kast, who focused solely on
pain perception, used very low doses of LSD, and he did
report a good outcome.
Rick: Well, with the traditional narcotic painkillers, too,
people at the end of life are often so sedated that theyre not
paying attention, and not alert to the few moments they have
left in life, and with LSD they report being able to lower the
amount of other narcotic painkillers that theyre takingso
that people could be pain-free, and yet lucid and present to
be with their families. I think thats really very important.
Albert: Yes.
John: Its going to be a long road, still, to get back to that
study, I suspect. Its important, I think, to first start getting a
clinical study with LSD active, and the cluster headache one
will be compelling. But of course people who are dying, anything that might truly help them is compelling as well. But
theres the reinventing of the wheel here, too. Dr. Kasts work
is now forty years old, and doesnt meet the type of descriptive standards that we would want in a publication to be able
to understand what he did. And sadly, Dr. Pahnke died an
untimely death; otherwise, maybe we would have more answers today. And, Dr. Grofs work was done at the closing
of this last era of research with LSD. And clearly, the reports
that were published on LSD and DPT and the Spring Grove
experiments were overlooked by medicine, in the closing
days of the research with LSD. Hopefully, one day soon,
though, we will get back to this, because those reports are
important and havent been forgotten. And I think Charlie
Grob and I, were starting off with psilocybin and, MDMA
for anxiety, for people who are dying; if we achieve positive
results in these studies, it will bring us that much closer to
revisiting this type of study as well.
Rick: I guess thats our main message to you, Albert, on

your birthdaywhich actually was yesterdaythat there is
this continual effort to try to bring this field back to science,
back to the forefront. Im sure that we ourselves, when were
older, well only have accomplished a small fraction of what
we see as the potential of what we could have accomplished.
Im feeling more comfortable too, now that Im working a
little bit more with younger people, that this is going to continue. For thousands of years, these substances have attracted
human fascination, and were not going to let the ball drop,
Albert. Were going to keep working on it until we do bring
these things back. And the next generation after us will
continue it as well.
Albert: (pauses) I didnt really understand the whole thing,
what you said. I could not follow, Im sorry, my English is
not very perfect. Heh heh.
Rick: Oh, no, youre doing great! I was just saying that our
message to you on your birthday is that what you helped to
discover, and brought to our lives, and the lives of the
worldeven though theres been this thirty, forty years of
repression, that its starting to end. Were going to stick with
it until we bring LSD research back to exploring its use for
pain, and exploring its use in analysis, and exploring its use
with cancer patients, and the confrontation with death. And
that, even though we wont be able to accomplish all that we
hope to, therell be a younger generation after us that will
continue on as well. And that, its been going for thousands
of years, and I think this thirty, forty year period of repression is really kind of an unusual point in history. Well get
back to the more standard, where cultures and people value
these experiences. Thats what were working towards, and
thats what youve inspired us to do.
Charlie : Many thanks again, Dr. Hofmann, for all your
work creating this field, and laying down the foundation,
which were now trying to develop in our contemporary
times.
Albert: Thank you. And may I speak something for my book,
LSD, My Problem Child. It is, I think, the bible of the psychedelic movement, and it has been translated into eleven languageseven into Japanese and Hebrew. I would like, that
it also be translated into Chinese and Russian, because it
exists in all the other important languages.
Subsequent to this interview, a Russian translation of LSD, My Problem Child was posted at the MAPS web site, and a Chinese translation is underway, at a cost of about $4,000. MAPS also plans
to reprint a new English edition (as the book is currently out-ofprint), to be released by Dr. HOFMANNS birthday in January 2006.
STUDY UPDATES
Dr. MICHAEL and ANNIE MITHOEFERS MAPS-sponsored U.S. MDMA/
PTSD study is almost at the half-way point, with a preliminary data
analysis to be conducted after the 10th subject completes her final
follow-up exam around the end of September. So far, 10 subjects
have received a total of 18 MDMA experimental sessions and 6 placebo experimental sessions, along with lots of non-drug psychotherapy sessions. This includes 7 subjects who were randomized
into the MDMA group, each of whom received 2 MDMA sessions. In
addition, 2 subjects who were initially randomized into the placebo
group chose to participate in Stage 2, in which they received 2 MDMA
sessions on an unblinded open label basis as well as the same
amount of non-drug psychotherapy. There have been no drugrelated serious adverse events, meaning that MAPS has spent
$24,000 so far on an ER doc and ER nurse who have sat in the next
room during the first five hours of each experimental session doing
absolutely nothing. The outcome data is quite promising. If the second half of the study closely mirrors the first half, well have a potential FDA-approved medication on our hands, assuming we can
raise enough funds and train enough co-therapists to eventually test
about 550 additional subjects. Due to the track record of 18 MDMA
sessions conducted safely and with evidence of efficacy, MAPSsponsored MDMA/PTSD pilot studies in Israel and Switzerland are
moving slowly but surely through the regulatory review process.
Dr. ANDREW SEWELL has completed his MAPS-sponsored case report
series of people who have used psilocybin/LSD to help them deal
with their cluster headaches. Dr. SEWELL has gathered medical records
and dosing and outcome information on over 40 people. This case
report seriesthe largest ever complied on cluster headache patientshas been written up and submitted for publication. The results suggest that LSD and/or psilocybin do have efficacy in some
patients after other medications have failed, and can in some instances be administered at sub-psychedelic threshold doses. The
results are now guiding the design for a pilot study that will, if
approved by FDA and the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at
HARVARDS MCLEAN HOSPITAL, involve the administration of LSD and/
or psilocybin to cluster headache patients. Were working to obtain
approval for the study prior to Dr. ALBERT HOFMANNS 100th birthday
on January 11, 2006.
Dr. JOHN HALPERNS MAPS-sponsored study of the use of MDMAassisted psychotherapy in subjects with anxiety associated with
advanced cancer is expected to receive final approval from the DEA
before the end of September. The FDA and the IRB at HARVARDS
MCLEAN HOSPITAL have already approved the study.
Dr. CHARLES GROBS HEFFTER RESEARCH INSTITUTE-sponsored study of
the use of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with anxiety
associated with cancer is underway, with three subjects already having received both of their experimental sessions (one with psilocybin and one with placebo). Initial results suggest that this form of
therapy can play an important role in the psychotherapeutic treatment of cancer patients.
93

by Casey William Freeblood Hardison
Although the following piece is technically oriented, we feel that it will be of intellectual interest for those with an understanding of chemistry.
Author Casey Hardison is a long-time friend to staff members of The Entheogen Review. His article An Amateur Qualitative Study of 48
2C-T-7 Subjective Bioassays appeared in the MAPS Bulletin 10(2): 11. He is currently serving a 20-year term imprisoned in the United Kingdom,
one of the harshest punishments delivered in the U.K.: seven years outside the 1978 Operation Julie sentence of Richard Kemp, and six years
outside the guidelines set by the 1996 Joseph Hurley case. We encourage ER readers to correspond with Casey via the address below.
EXPERIMENTAL
A recent publication by Dr. David E. Nichols (Nichols et

al. 2002) on the isomeric lysergamides of demethlazetidine
catalyzed a revolution in the realm of clandestine LSD synthesis. I do not know if Dr. Nichols is to be credited with
the first use of PyBOP for lysergamide condensation, as theoretical discussions on the use of a variety of peptide-coupling
reagents have been occurring on The Hive (www.the-hive.ws)
and Rhodium (www.rhodium.ws/chemistry/et2lsd.txt) web
sites since 2001.
2.80 grams of lysergic acid was added to 100 ml of magnetically stirring CH2Cl2. To this was added 1.81 grams N,Ndiethlmethylamine and the solution was allowed to stir for
five minutes. Then 5.70 grams of PyPOB was added and the
solution was allowed to stir for an additional five minutes.
Then 0.84 grams of diethylamine was added and the reaction was allowed to stir at RT for 60 minutes.
In early 2004, I engaged Dr. Nichols in a theoretical discussion as to his expected limits on scale-ability and it was clear
that he did not know, as he is limited to NIDA quantities of
the lysergic acid, i.e. > 250 mg.
The reaction mixture was quenched with 100 ml of 7.5M

concentrated NH4OH, the layers were separated and the
aqueous phase was then thrice extracted with 30 ml CH2Cl2,
the organic layers were combined and rotary evaporated at
35C under high vacuum.
After studying Dr. Nichols papers and the Internet, and

doing further book research on peptide synthesis (Coste et
al. 1990), I conducted a series of experiments to determine
the limits and parameters of the reaction, i.e., the best solvent, the best tertiary scavenger amine, the best sequence of
introducing the reagents, and the most effective reaction
time.
The residue was dissolved in 40 ml of cold saturated NaHCO3

and extracted thrice with 20 ml EtOAc, the organic layers
were combined and washed with deionized H2O, brine, and
then dried over MgSO4, filtered and rotary evaporated at
40C under high vacuum to a constant weight. Yield 3.13
grams before chromatography, 93%.
I worked with several solvents, but I found CH2Cl2 to be

most suitable, as it evaporates easily and keeps the reaction
temperature low.
I worked with several tertiary amines, but N,N-diethylmethylamine added slowly after the dry lysergic acid gave
the most effective results and work-up.
I varied the reaction time between 30 to 120 minutes; however, I am of the opinion that the reaction completes in less
than one hour. All reactions were conducted under a 15w
red light, in an Argon atmosphere, and with dried SigmaAldrich solvents and reagents.
94
Another run of 5.12 grams lysergic acid with the same

amines, equivalents, and times, yielded 5.55 grams after
chromatography, 90%.
THE WORK ENDS

It is unfortunate that as I was perfecting this reaction, I was
under police surveillance, brought to the attention of the
London DEA by an informant in the United States. Donations accepted and desired (checks, money orders, books,
letters, love, etc.); correspondence can be sent to:
Casey Hardison POWD LH5330
Her Majestys Prison, Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight,
PO30 5NX, ENGLAND

by Daniel J. Siebert
Her real name must not be told
Her real name is closer to Medusa than to Mary
Dale Pendell (1995)
Mazatec shamans grow Salvia divinorum in hidden locations
and they are usually quite reluctant to discuss the plant with
outsiders. Partly because of this tradition of secrecy, the plant
remained unknown to the world-at-large until relatively recently. The history of the region may offer some explanation
for why the Mazatecs have long been secretive about this
plant. Spanish conquistadors first encountered the ritual use
of vision-inducing plants by Native Americans during the
sixteenth century (Sahagn 19501969). The Catholic
Church viewed such plants as demonic agents being used for
idolatrous communion and worship. On June 19, 1620, the
Holy Office of the Inquisition in Mexico City formally declared ingestion of inebriating plants a heresy, and use of such
plants was officially banned (Leonard 1942). Indians who
violated the prohibition were often punished severely; in
some cases they were tortured or killed. Consequently, those
who continued to use these plants were forced to do so in
utmost secrecy.
This kind of persecution has persisted through the centuries. To this day, it continues. It is no exaggeration to characterize many of the worlds drug laws, even those of many of
the most progressive nations, as Draconian. Although numerous visionary plants used in Mexico at the time of the
Spanish conquest have been identified in historical records,
there is no persuasive evidence that the Spaniards knew
about Salvia divinorum. In fact, we have no historical record
clearly referring to this plant prior to 1938 (Johnson 1939),
and it was not identified botanically until 1962 (Epling &
Jtiva-M. 1962). It remained relatively obscure until the mid1990s, at which time its properties began to be better understood, interest in the plant increased, and it began to receive
widespread publicity. Unfortunately, increased public awareness and interest in the plant has made it vulnerable to governmental control. In 2002, Australia became the first country to make S. divinorum and salvinorin A illegal. Several other
countries followed suit, including Denmark, Belgium, Italy,
and South Korea. On August 15, 2005, Louisiana made
S. divinorum illegal if intended for consumption. Both New
York and Missouri are considering legislation against the

plant, and the city of St. Peters, MO has banned the sale of S.
divinorum to minors. Although S. divinorum is not currently
illegal in Mexico, there have been some cases in which S.
divinorum plants belonging to Mazatec shamans were destroyed by the Mexican army indiscriminately enforcing their
governments anti-drug campaign.
Fear of persecution is not the only motive for secrecy. Many
people regard Salvia divinorum as something sacred, and feel
that it should be kept away from those who might profane
it. Some consider it a spiritual gift that should only be given
to people who can appreciate it as such. And there are those
who believe that secrecy is an intrinsic aspect of this plant
spirit. Salvia divinorum often produces experiences that
are quite personal and precious, so it is understandable that
people would be selective about who they choose to share it with.
Following my discovery of salvinorin A as the primary psychoactive component of Salvia divinorum, there were some
people who expressed the opinion that I should keep my finding secret. Several people wrote me letters asking me not to
publish information about the compound and its effects,
fearing that increased public awareness would eventually
lead to the classification of S. divinorum as a controlled substance. Unfortunately, such concerns are all-too-well
founded; they clearly reflect the insalubrious environment
of fear created by oppressive government policies that suppress fundamental human freedoms by making it a crime to
possess and utilize visionary plants and compounds. I made
a carefully weighed decision to share my discoveries. In 1994,
I published my initial findings in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology (Siebert 1994). This led to renewed scientific
interest in S. divinorum. I am confident that this was the right
decision. Salvia divinorum is an extremely beneficial plant.
It is a plant of insight. People will continue to benefit from it
regardless of any attempts to criminalize its use. The right
to explore ones own mind is utterly inalienable.
Of course, Salvia divinorum can be quite powerful, and it is
important that it be used intelligently. Too much secrecy can
be a bad thing, especially now that S. divinorum is so widely
available. People who are interested in experiencing it must
95
be properly educated about the nature of its effects. It is unethical for people
to provide S. divinorum to others unless they also provide information on how
to use it wisely. There is a responsibility that comes with sharing it, and that
responsibility is education.
some relevant quotes
MARC
EMERY
BUSTED
There is something very pagan about it. I dont think you should tell
anybody about it (quoted in Pendell 1995).
I think that it must be kept like a sort of secret, that you will only
share with people that you trust in (Anon n.d.).
Existe en Jalapa de Daz un individuo llamado Felipe Miranda, quien
cada tres o seis mesas va al cerro a recoger la yerba; hace excelentes
curaciones y se encuentra en condiciones econmicas muy buenas; dicen
que cuida la yerba, pero no revela la clase de yerba de que se trata.
(Weitlaner 1952) [There is in Jalapa de Daz an individual named
Felipe Miranda, who every three or six months goes to the mountains to gather the plant. He makes wonderful cures and finds himself in a good economic situation. They say he cultivates and tends to
the plant, but he does not reveal the kind of plant that it is. (Translation from Wasson 1962.)]
Many, perhaps most, Mazatec families possess a private supply of
the plants, but almost invariably they are not near the home nor near
trails where passers-by might see them. We were on the watch for
Salvia divinorum as we criss-crossed the Sierra Mazateca on horseback in September and October of 1962, but never once did we see it.
The Indians choose some remote ravine for the planting of it and they
are loath to reveal the spots. No Indian in San Jos Tenango was willing to take us to the plants whence they brought back specimens to
us (Wasson 1962).
From an old curandera, a venerable woman in a strikingly magnificent Mazatec garment, with the lovely name Natividad Rosa, we received a whole bundle of flowering specimens of the sought-after
plant, but even she could not be prevailed upon to perform a ceremony with the leaves for us. Her excuse was that she was too old for
the hardship of the magical trip; she could never cover the long distance to certain places: a spring where the wise women gather their
powers, a lake on which the sparrows sing, and where objects get their
names. Nor would Natividad Rosa tell us where she had gathered the
leaves. They grew in a very, very distant forest valley. Wherever she
dug up a plant, she put a coffee bean in the earth as thanks to the gods
(Hofmann 1983).
96
On July 29th the DEA, in cooperation with

Vancouver police, raided MARC EMERYS BC
MARIJUANA PARTY headquarters. On the
same day, they arrested EMERY while he was
attending a Cannabis rally. The United States
wants EMERY sent to America to face charges
for selling Cannabis seeds into the U.S., even
though he has not broken any Canadian
laws. In fact, EMERYS activism has been a
major reason why the laws in Canada are
more reasonable today than they were a
decade and a half ago. Since 1990, EMERY
has worked as an activist for Cannabis.
Through his efforts, the way that Cannabis
is viewed in Canada has dramatically
changed. Canada now has legal medical
marijuana on a national level, and on April
19th of this year, they became the first country in the world to approve the pharmaceutical preparation Sativex, a Cannabisbased drug used in treating pain related to
multiple sclerosis. Back when MARC EMERY
first began his activism, even just distributing books that mentioned Cannabis could
result in up to six months in jail and/or a
fine of up to $100,000. MARC has been
arrested time and again to challenge the
unjust laws in Canada. He is also the force
behind HEMP BC (a headshop/bookstore),
Cannabis Culture (a magazine), the BC
MARIJUANA PARTY (a political group), EMERY
SEEDS DIRECT (a Cannabis seed vendor),
P OT -TV (an internet TV station), and
ENTHEOGENESIS (a conference series).
Five Things You Can Do To Help Marc Emery

by Dana Larsen
Please do your part to keep the U.S. drug war out of Canada!
I have received many e-mails and messages from people asking me what they can do to help prevent Marc Emery from
being extradited to the United States to face a lifetime in
prison. Here are five simple, concrete things that anyone can
do to make a positive impact on this situation. If you can
donate even two hours of spare time each week to doing some
of these five things you will be making a real difference. The
first three things can and should be done by anyone in the
world who supports this effort. The last two are for Canadians only. Please dont just read this list and then do nothing.
This is a very crucial battle and one we must win.
1) Call Irwin Cotler regularly.
Canadas Justice Minister is Irwin Cotler. It is largely his
decision whether Canada will extradite Marc Emery.
Cotlers biography describes him as a peace activist who
has devoted his life to supporting international human
rights, free speech, freedom of religion, womens rights,
minority rights, war crimes justice and prisoners rights,
but he has not proven himself to be a friend to the Cannabis
culture.
Please call each of these three phone numbers twice every
week, and politely repeat your message every time. The goal
is to keep these lines constantly tied up with calls and voice
mails about Marc Emery, so that the Justice Department
phones are ringing steadily about the Emery case every day
for the next few months. When you call, always be very polite. Your goal is not to get into a debate with Cotlers secretary. Just say that you are calling because it would shock
your conscience for Marc Emery to be extradited to the
United States for alleged marijuana seeds crimes committed
on Canadian soil. Say that you believe that if Marc has broken the law in Canada, he should be tried in Canada, under
Canadian laws. If they say you are calling the wrong number
ask what number you should call. But still call them again
the next week regardless. No matter where you are in the
world, please call all three of these phone numbers every
week. We definitely need active, vocal support from Americans and also from the international community.
Irwin Cotlers Constituency Office: (514) 283-0171

Irwin Cotlers Parliamentary Office: (613) 995-0121
Justice Department Office: (613) 992-4621
If you have access to a fax machine then please also send a
daily or weekly fax supporting Marc Emery to each of these
Justice Department fax numbers:
Fax: (613) 992-6762
Fax: (514) 283-2407
Fax: (613) 990-7255
Dont bother sending e-mails to Cotler. E-mails are easily
ignored, deleted, or filtered out as spam. Weekly phone calls
and faxes are much more effective in creating awareness and
political pressure.
2) Donate and buy.
This raid means the end of Marc Emery Marijuana Seeds,
the pioneering business which Marc Emery used to fund
activist efforts around the world. Marc, Michelle Rainey,
and Greg Williams will all have huge legal bills, while at
the same time losing their assets, income, and livelihood.
Money-losing projects like Pot-TV will need to be curtailed,
political activities will be shut down, Cannabis Culture magazine will struggle greatly, and all our staff will suffer layoffs
and paycuts.
Please make a donation or purchase with the BC Marijuana
Party, and buy a subscription to Cannabis Culture magazine.
Our store is still fully stocked with books, pipes, bongs,
clothes and other Cannabis products. The only thing we dont
sell now is seeds! We need your business to survive, so please
come down and pick up some new paraphernalia.
3) Write to Canadian media.
Please contact all of the following newspapers and magazines, with a new letter every week. Dont write a big long
letter. Just write a short, snappy letter which offers your opin-
97
ion on American efforts to extradite Marc Emery. Dont just

send one mass e-mail to all of these media at once. Instead
send them each individually the same e-mailed letter. Write
one letter every week, different letters but on the same topic,
and send them to every one of these media outlets every week.
A more complete list of Canadian media outlets can be found
here: http://mapinc.org/cmap/press.htm
NEWSPAPERS
Burnaby Now editorial@burnabynow.com
Calgary Herald letters@theherald.canwest.com
Calgary Sun callet@calgarysun.com
Edmonton Journal letters@thejournal.canwest.com
Edmonton Sun mailbag@edm.sunpub.com
Globe & Mail letters@globeandmail.ca
Guelph Mercury editor@guelphmercury.com
Hamilton Spectator letters@thespec.com
Kamloops Daily News kamloopsnews@telus.net
Kamloops This Week ktw@bcnewsgroup.com
Kelowna Capital News edit@kelownacapnews.com
Kingston Whig-Standard whiged@thewhig.com
Kitchener-Waterloo Record letters@therecord.com
Langley Advance editorial@langleyadvance.com
Langley Times newsroom@langleytimes.com
Lethbridge Herald letters@ac403.com
London Free Press letters@lfpress.com
Montreal Gazette letters@thegazette.canwest.com
Nanaimo News Bulletin edit@nanaimo.vinewsgroup.com
National Post letters@nationalpost.com
North Shore News editor@nsnews.com
Ottawa Citizen letters@thecitizen.canwest.com
Ottawa Sun oped@ott.sunpub.com
Regina Leader-Post letters@leaderpost.canwest.com
The Saskatoon Star Phoenix spnews@SP.canwest.com
Surrey Leader newsroom@surreyleader.com
Surrey Now canderson@thenownewspaper.com
Toronto Star lettertoed@thestar.com
Toronto Sun editor@tor.sunpub.com
Tri-City News newsroom@tricitynews.com
Vancouver Courier editor@vancourier.com
Vancouver Province provletters@png.canwest.com
Vancouver Sun sunletters@png.canwest.com
Victoria News vicnews@vinewsgroup.com
Victoria Times Colonist letters@tc.canwest.com
Whitehorse Star letters@whitehorsestar.com
Windsor Star letters@thestar.canwest.com
Winnipeg Free Press letters@freepress.mb.ca
Winnipeg Sun editor@wpgsun.com
98
MAGAZINES
Eye Magazine eye@eye.net
Macleans Magazine letters@macleans.ca
NOW Magazine letters@nowtoronto.com
Vancouver Magazine mail@vancouvermagazine.com
The Walrus letters@walrusmagazine.com
4) Contact your MP and MLA.
If you are in Canada, then contact both your MP and your
MLA. Dont send them an e-mail, make a phone call. Try to
make an appointment for a personal visit. Also have every
one of your friends and family members each make their own
phone call as well. The more calls they receive the better.
You are not seeking your MP and MLA to support the legalization of marijuana. Just say that you are calling because
you want your elected representative to oppose the extradition of any Canadian to a foreign country when their actions
are not considered a serious crime in Canada.
Remind them that Emery is the leader of a legitimate political party, that the Canadian government has knowingly collected taxes from his United States seed sales for a decade,
and that Emery has operated openly without interference
from Canadian police since 1998.
Tell your MP and MLA that Canada should not be sending
political activists to jail in foreign countries, especially when
their actions are not even considered to be an arrestable
offence in Canada.
Your MP is your federal Member of Parliament. You can find
your MP here: www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/
house/PostalCode.asp?Source=SM, Your MLA is your Provincial Member of the Legislature. You can find your MLA
online here:
Alberta
www.assembly.ab.ca/adr/adr_template.aspx?type=mla
British Columbia
www.legis.gov.bc.ca/mla/3-1-1.htm
Manitoba
www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/alphabetical.html
New Brunswick
http://app.infoaa.7700.gnb.ca/gnb/pub/ListMLA1.asp
Newfoundland
www.hoa.gov.nl.ca/hoa/members
Nova Scotia
www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/MEMBERS/index.html
Ontario
www.electionsontario.on.ca/fyed/en/form_page_en.jsp
Prince Edward Island
www.assembly.pe.ca/members/index.php
Quebec
www.assnat.qc.ca/fra/Membres/deputes.shtml
Saskatchewan
www.legassembly.sk.ca/members
5) Rally in your community.
If you are in Canada, then try to put on a rally in your community to protest this incursion of the United States drug
war into Canada.
The focus of your rally should not be on the marijuana laws,
but rather that Canadians within Canada are not subject to
United States law. The Canadian courts and people have decided that selling Cannabis seeds is a trivial, non-arrestable
offence.
The Canadian government has steadily collected sizable taxes
from Marc Emerys United States seed sales for ten years. If
Emery has broken the law in Canada then he should be
charged and tried here. If he has broken no laws in Canada
then he should not be extradited to the United States for a
life sentence. Who will be next? Will U.S. police start extraditing Canadians who perform gay marriages for visiting
Americans?
Try to put together a rally for Saturday, September 10, to
coincide with the rally planned for Vancouver. If there is a
United States consulate office in your city then that is a good
place to rally at. Otherwise find a park or other government
building.
Please contact us at the BC Marijuana Party to let us know
what you are up to. Tell us if you have contacted your elected
representatives, if are planning a rally, and what else you are
doing to help preserve Canadian sovereignty and keep the
United States drug war out of Canada.
Thank you for your help. Marc Emery has devoted his life
to ending the drug war and ensuring that marijuana seeds
are available to anyone who wants to grow this wondrous
herb. Please follow his lead, become active, and help to end
this vicious war. BC Marijuana Party (604) 684-2803
bcmp2005@yahoo.ca http://bcmarijuanaparty.com.
IMPORTANT WARNING
If you were a past or current customer of MARC EMERY DIRECT SEEDS,
you will want to be aware of the information below, which was
excerpted and condensed from MARCS seed company web site
(www.emeryseeds.com).
Emery Seeds has been raided by the DEA. We are now completely out of business. Keep up-to-date with discussion on
this topic at the www.cannabisculture.com Forums section,
which is updated regularly. The data below was current as of
August 13, 2005.
This is vitally important. When seeds were sent out in June,
they took unusually long to get to peoples places; 200300
letters were intercepted somehow, and held up. Return
addresses on incoming mail sent to us was likely matched
up with outgoing mail that had our return address. This regrettable discovery suggests that the DEA and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and perhaps other agencies
may be coordinating a massive round-up of both Canadians
and Americans in a considerable escalation of the drug war.
Those outgoing letters were held up after we sent them. If
you thought there was an unusually long delay in receiving
any recent orders from the time you were aware it was sent,
then it is very likely you are in danger, and should take
appropriate action.
Even if your seed order mail was opened, that is not enough
to incriminate you for receiving that letter. Nothing in our
outgoing orders implies that you asked for what were sending. Prosecution will require that those people who get the
scam letter (see example on page 100) from the DEA incriminate themselves by agreeing that they wish to receive
seeds, and through acknowledging the letter, prove that they
asked for and paid for seeds. These scam letters are fake
and dangerous. DO NOT RESPOND! Different names and
security passwords are used. [This is related to the process
for sending in payment, and the scam letter states that
additional funds are required to fill the orders. Eds.]
99
We would like to express our concern for all American and

Canadian citizens. We have received many questions from
people who have received messages appearing to be from
Marc Emery Direct. If you received this same type of letter
(shown below), you may be in danger. The government may
be trying to get you to admit through responding that you
ordered seeds. We have NOT sent out any information to
our customers, as we did not retain their records.
Be extremely cautious. We would
warn any large-scale growers to
IMMEDIATELY CEASE YOUR
OPERATION. Do not give any information to this group. It may be
the DEA trying to do a massive
bust on growers. Be careful when
dealing with marijuana seeds, and
be on the lookout for any scams or
stings seeking donations or information.
It might be best to refrain from
buying seeds at any and all outlets
and online businesses, whether in
Canada or the USA. The U.S. government and DEA are waging war,
and many hundreds of people can
still be implicated. Marc Emery
Direct Seeds is closed for good.
There are no refunds. There are no
records. We have, however, managed to returned a number of orders that were in the mail boxes (the addresses provided in
our catalog and online) with RTSreturn to senderin
black marker on the envelope. Hopefully this means those
people are not in any trouble, but we want everyone to be
extra careful regardless. DONT RESPOND to any mail or
e-mail claims from anyone posing as Marc Emery Direct!
We will convey all legitimate information to our people
through Cannabis Culture Online and the Marc Emery
Direct Seeds web site.
The DEA has offices in Vancouver, and the Vancouver Police
Department is, and I quote, working hand in glove with the
DEA and fully cooperating together. Western Union
headquarters is also working with the DEA. WE KNOW
THIS. Thats why they ask you to use it. When you send a
Western Union, you have to show ID, give your home address, and phone number: everything the DEA needs to find you.
100
Let me explain why this is likely DEA, and not just some
scammer. The DEA was photographing all mail sent to the
two addresses given in (a) the seed catalogue and (b) at the
Marc Emery Direct Seeds web site (respectively), and all
mail being sent out to customers, in June and July. In doing
so, they could record all of the addresses on the outgoing
mail, as well as incoming mail. With just those photos, they
cant prove that those pieces of mail are seed orders. But to
do so, they can send their own mail to all of those addresses,
with a letter included (again, see
the example to the left) posing as
Marc Emery Direct. If some
unsuspecting customer of ours
acts on the scam letter, they
might:
a) Go to Western Union or get
a Money Gram to send $50.00
or $100.00 to the name of the
person on the letter;
b) Show their ID and fill out all
of their personal information on the Western Union
form to send payment;
c) Write down the passwords, as
expressed in the letter;
d) Send their wire to the name on
the letter: predetermined names
set by whatever group is behind
this; and
e) Send an e-mail to MEDmarijuanaseeds@yahoo.ca or
MEDmarijuana@yahoo.ca with:
1) Confirmation of their order, which we DID NOT send
out or keep (most people just waited by their mailbox),
2) The money control number used by the other end to pick
up payment (so they can pick up your information
with it),
3) The name used to both order seeds and to send the wire,
and
4) The amount of money transferred.
So, the only people to get this letter in the mail are people
who ordered seeds from us through the mail. When someone responds to this letter, it confirms that YES, they did
order seeds. They clearly did, because they wouldnt have
the right name or the password or the location from the
letter otherwise. By asking you to not use a post office box,
but to instead use your home address, they can easily find you.
The use of capital letters is a legal thing. The system of
Roman contract/admiralty law doesnt recognize lower-case
letters, and for a persons name to be legally applicable,
must be in all upper case. For this reason, all court documents
use upper case exclusively. (If you are ever filed with legal
documents that spell your name as Joe Blow and not JOE
BLOW, they can be thrown out of court because you can
claim, legally and rightfully, that the name on the document
does not apply to you. To get around this, the first thing they
try to do is get you to acknowledge that you are Joe Blow
and from then on youre pretty much screwed.)
Cannabis Culture magazine can no longer receive seed

company advertising. If you wish to support the continued
survival of the mag, it needs subscribers, advertising, and
donations immediately. You can send a check, money order,
or cash to:
CC MAGAZINE
15 - 199 WEST HASTINGS STREET
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, V6B 1H4
CANADA
People in British Columbia who can use a very lucrative taxcreditable receipt can donate to the BCMP. The BCMP needs
to pay for phones, office, and our full time organizer and
legal team co-ordinator Kirk Tousaw. Although called to the
bar in both Canada and the United States, Kirk is working
for food and rent money. Hes a lifesaver, and the Party is
made vital through your checks, money orders, and cash
donations (under $100) to:
We know that the DEA was taking photos of the orders sent
to us for seeds. We know that the DEA would love to have
people admit they ordered seeds from Marc Emery
Direct. We feel very strongly that this is law enforcement
trying to sweep up a lot of our customers, many of whom are
growers. AGAIN, DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS LETTER.
BCMP
307 WEST HASTINGS STREET
CANADA
HOW CAN YOU REALLY HELP?

If you want to contribute to our legal fees, which will add up
to over $100,000 in the next year alone, please send a check,
money order, or cash to:
JOHN CONROY IN TRUST

2459 PAULINE STREET
ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA, V2S 3S1
CANADA
BCMP BOOKSTORE
CANADA
Please also take the time to watch Marc Emerys

public address on Pot-TV.net. If you cant watch the
video, you should read Marcs message posted here:
www.cannabisculture.com/articles/4482.html
Credit card donations can be made online through the

Cannabis Culture magazine web site.
You can hear from Michelle Rainey, co-accused, in her

appearance on the Marijuana News Global Report on PotTV.net.
If you wish to support Pot-TV.netbecause it receives no

other revenue than your donationsplease send a check,
money order or cash to:
POT-TV
CANADA
If you would like to send a check or money order directly to

senior counsel of our legal team, send to:
Thank you for giving back to an organization that gave so

much to the marijuana movement. Now we are in need,
and we hope we have support in the world wide Cannabis
community.
Please notify me at Jodie@cannabisculture.com or
Jodie_Giesz@hotmail.com if you receive the DEA letter.
101
Hyperspatial Maps
FIRST VOYAGES
WITH SALVIA DIVINORUM
I took Salvia divinorum as leaves smoked in a water pipe, in
the evening at a friends apartment. I sat cross-legged on the
floor. We both meditated for ten minutes before beginning.
The room was quiet and almost dark.
My friend prepared the pipe and told me to take one lungful
and then relax. He said he would then offer me a second hit,
which I should accept or refuse according to how strong the
initial effects were. I took the first hit at about 10:15 pm.
Nothing happened for a few seconds and then whoosh. I disintegrated very rapidly into an extraordinary state in which
any normal sense of self was gone. I seemed to be (dreamlike) involved in some situation in which lots of people were
in the streets and observing what I did, which seemed to be
important. I remember thinking (and saying?) that possibly
there were only the two of us in his room, that this was due
to a drug, and the other people did not exist.
Meanwhile I had become like a thin sheet or film lying between two worlds; one the world of streets with these people
in it, and the other the world I could see in front of me, which
was not three-dimensional but multidimensional. It was
mostly stunningly beautiful mixtures of yellow and white in
typical psychedelic patterns that bubbled up in many dimensions. There were hints of streams and forests and other
natural scenes, but the yellow and white predominated for
some time.
If I tried to move at this point, my arms seemed to break
the skin and make unpleasant crackling noises, as though
tearing crackly paper.
After a while all this subsided and I wanted to move. I crawled
around the floor and lay down, stretched and stood up before sitting down again. Then we began to talk and I learned
that I had apparently been offered the second hit and had
accepted it in a tiny high voice. I remembered absolutely
nothing of this and found it worrying that my memory could
be so totally blank.
102
I had the overwhelming sense that I was not up to this drug;

that it was a very important and powerful drug and that I
was not capable of appreciating it properly. I felt inadequate
and ill-prepared. I had been told I should have a question,
but did not have one. I could not see the spirit of the drug
and did not know how to look for her. I considered that possibly I had not had enough (although looking back, I probably had). I did not want to leave the experience with the
feeling that I had not given it my best attempt, so I asked for
some more. This was possibly about half an hour after the
first two hits.
I took one large lungful, felt very strange and could not take
more. The effects were similar to those before, I think, and
wore off smoothly, as before. There then followed another
phase in which we talked. I realized then that although the
hallucinations had gone away the drug effects had not. This
was a most special and interesting state. I realized that I was,
if anything, the spirit of the drug. It was I who could answer
questions, rather than asking them. My companion had his
own question which he talked briefly about and we sat there
saying little, with the question between us. I stopped feeling
inadequate and just loved the slow and gentle communication. My companion (who has a lot of training in this kind of
thing) said he could see my aura as blue and my whole body
glowing. I could feel his aura but not see it clearly. We discussed what this was, both being scientifically interested, as
well as just enjoying and exploring. I saw him as hovering
above the ground and was convinced that I could put my
hands under his floating bodythough I could not.
At some point I settled down to wonder whether I could still
enjoy hallucinations and, more mildly, they returned. I
thought that I could fly (though well aware that physically I
could not). I sprouted magnificent wings, lots of them. I said
Ive got wings, lots of wings, and legs, lots of legs. It reminded me of Kafkas Metamorphosis. I was a dragonfly with
huge compound eyes, sitting in a human living room.
I am sure there is lots more that I could write about, but my
memory for the experience is rather more hazy than with
most other drugs and I find it difficult to recall more with
any clarity.
The most amazing thing about this drug was the long, gentle
continuing effects. That night (about two and a half hours
after taking it) I had a hot bath and enjoyed a very open and
spacious feeling, and carefully reminded myself of the various effects. I felt a great need to integrate all this into my life
and to let the effects continue to work through me, which
they did. I am writing this nearly four days later and I believe I am still feeling the effects. Last night a smoke of homegrown grass had hallucinatory effects quite unlike its usual
effectmuch nicer and more interesting. This morning I
woke still feeling spacious and open. I have enjoyed these
aftereffects very much, although I do not know what, if anything, they are teaching me.
Salvia divinorum was a scary and challenging drug but I am
very glad that I took it. Susan Blackmore, England
SALVIA DIVINORUM ON TOP OF

ARGYREIA NERVOSA EXTRACT:
A TRIP IN LAUGH LAND
I had been in the habit of making an extract of Argyreia
nervosa via a method using petroleum naptha and isopropyl
alcohol. I cannot tell a lie, the experiences with this stuff were
often slightly less than beautiful, with a lot of neck scrunching and a disconnected feeling. But at the time (back in the
summer of 1995), it was all that I had that was potent, so I
made do with it.
Anyway, one night I took a whopping (for me) dose of about
15 mg (eyeballed) of the pure yellow crystals. The experience
progressed, and about 3.5 hours into it, I wasnt doing very
well. My body ached and I wasnt really getting high the way
I wanted to. I was actually fairly burned out on the stuff, so I
decided to smoke some Salvia divinorum. I went downstairs
and loaded up my trusty bowl and smoked one hit: nothing
much. So two, three, four hits, and wham! There was an old
fluorescent light fixture box sitting against the basement wall,
and this box was leaning into the wall in a hilarious way. I
began to laugh like a loon. The box just went right on leaning (even though by this time I was howling), and I finally
had to turn my face away from it. When I did, I saw these
giant partially peeled bananas with a red and white checkerboard pattern on the peels and pearly white bananas inside.
This was even funnier than the box against the wall. Part of
me was nearly in hysterics, while the other part was looking
down on me and smiling at my own antics. I was nearly
falling off my chair and I could hardly catch my breath. Get

a hold of yourself! I mentally scolded, and I burst out laughing again.
While I tried again to regain my composure, I turned my head
to the left and saw this little creature/robot thing, not two
feet away from me. It was about 34 feet tall and seemed to
be comprised of a collection of pipes with a bend in the end
of each of them: like old mufflers arranged in a circle with all
the pipeholes facing me like eyes. The pipes were of various lengths, with the longest in the back and the shortest in
the front, and they seemed to be covered in blue chrome.
There was also some weird little doo-hickey on the top of
them. As this thing was sitting there watching me, it made
a small sound, and I again cracked up. There were mechanical noises coming from it, and every time I heard these, I
would begin to howl with laughter. I sensed at this point that
the thing was getting impatient with me for laughing, and I
tried to stop, but it was no use. It began to turn itself in halfcircles on what had to be (and sounded like) some sort of
turntable-like thingie. I understood that this motion indicated that the entity was increasingly irritated by my hilarity. It moved back and forth, back and forth, as if it wanted
to communicate with me and I was simply incapable of getting the message. I threw my head backwards and went into
more gales of laughter for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, the laughter started drying up, and when I looked back
to my left, the little thing was gone. I was alone in my basement again. Although I tried smoking some more, I was unable to establish contact again. A decade later, I still wonder
what it was trying to tell me. Dr. Wily
ARE
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see
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103

by Benjamin Thomas
In 1957, the Australian dietician Lucy Hamilton (Mrs. J.

Reid) conducted an experiment at Okapa in the Eastern
Highlands of Papua New Guinea to observe the effects of
eating a substance called agara bark, identified as the
species Galbulimima belgraveana (F. Muell.) Sprague
(Hamilton 1960). The French ethnobotanist Jacques
Barrau was also present at Okapa to observe this experiment (Barrau 1958). A local man called Ogia volunteered
to do the bioassay. Seven or eight pieces of agara bark about
the size of a penny were chewed and swallowed. While
Ogia masticated the bark, he also smoked some tobacco,
chewed some ginger, and additionally ate the dried leaves of
a plant called ereriba (an unidentified Homalomena species). Following consumption of all this, Ogia waited for the
effects, which began shortly thereafter:
[He] began to tremble, as they say, like a kuru meri.
His arms and body trembled, but not his legs. After a
few minutes of this, he suddenly became quite violent.
He swept all the things off the table and would have done
quite a bit of damage if I hadnt had a policeman standing by to detain him. I was very thankful for this forethought as I was the only European on the station at the
time He was put in handcuffs and let go outside. He
picked up a stick and chased several people with it. He
tried to take a bush knife from a workman in the garden.
The station women were warned to keep their children
inside. I am convinced that his behavior was not an act,
as from a pleasant mild little man, he had suddenly become a crazed being. He neither spoke or smiled, and at
first did not appear to hear. The pupils of his eyes were
mere pinpoints. At the onset of violence the trembling
had ceased (Hamilton 1960).
Ogias destructive frenzy was followed by calmness, euphoria, drowsiness, and finally a deep sleep that lasted for several hours (Hamilton 1960). It has been suggested that, after eating agara bark, one experiences visions while asleep
(Schultes & Hofmann 1979; Hamilton 1960). For this reason, the bark has been called dream man among the Fore
people (Hamilton 1960), although several other substances
used by the Fore to produce visions are also known by this
term, including the ereriba that Ogia had eaten, as well as
maraba (Kaempferia galangal) (Hamilton 1960). However,
Ogia reported no visions related to his experience. He later
104
told Hamilton that the reason he did not experience any

visions was because he did not want to. It was also suggested
to Hamilton that in this experiment, Ogia had eaten agara
bark in the morning and not in the evening, which was
thought to be the proper time to eat dream man. The only
aftereffect reported by Ogia was a stomach ache (Hamilton
1960).
MY OWN EXPERIENCE
On September 21, 2003, at 7:15 pm, I bioassayed dried and
powdered agara bark. Below is the chronology of effects.
7:15 pm Begin chewing 10 grams of agara bark
7:16 pm Intensely bitter taste
7:20 pm Strong alkaloidal after taste, similar to quinine
7:25 pm Bark is swallowed
7:55 pm First alert, becoming drowsy
7:57 pm Dilated pupils
8:00 pm Difficulty in concentration
8:05 pm Increased pulse and heart rate
8:10 pm Pleasant drowsiness, similar to 0.3 mg dose of
hyoscine (scopolamine) hydrobromide, but
without changes in perception
8:15 pm Dizziness
8:20 pm Lying down with eyes closed, no eidetic images
8:25 pm Relaxation
8:30 pm Hypnagogic state with no dreams
9:55 pm Drowsiness wearing off
10:05 pm Afterglow, euphoria
10:25 pm Baseline, no aftereffects
The effects that I got from eating agara bark could be characterized as a plus two on the Degree of Intensity Scale
(Shulgin et al. 1986), also known as the Quantitative Scale
of Potency (Shulgin & Shulgin 1991); that is, There is an
unmistakable effect, and both the duration and the nature
of the effect can be stated.
CHEMISTRY & PHARMACOLOGY
NOTES
Twenty-eight alkaloids have been isolated from agara (Thomas 2005). One of these alkaloids, himbacine, is known to
have muscarinic receptor (M2) antagonist activity
(Broadley & Kelly 2001), but it is still unknown whether
the effects of agara are produced due to this activity. In large
doses, hibacine might also exhibit some M1 antagonist
(atropine-like) activity, and produce agitation, excitement,
and hallucinations (Thomas 2005). It is possible that larger
doses of agara bark may be visionary.
1) Around 150160 species of Homalomena have been identified worldwide (Herscovitch 2005; Hay 1999; Hay et al.
1995), yet chemical and pharmacological studies are largely
lacking. The fact that the specific species called ereriba is
unknown makes nailing down any activity quite difficult. The
East Indian species Homalomena aromatica has been used as
an aphrodisiac (Hirschfield & Linsert 1930). In Vietnam,
essential oil distilled from the root is used in perfume, and
the dried root is used in medicines to treat skin diseases (de
Beer 1993). Essential oil from H. aromaticacontaining 39
chemicals (many of which are terpenoids), with the major
component being linalool, at 62.1%has been shown to exhibit antifungal and insecticidal properties (Sung 1992;
Singh 2000). Under the name Qian Nian Jian, H. occulta is
used in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve rheumatic
conditions and strengthen the tendons and bones; extracts
of the dried rhizome are available commercially, and chemical investigations turned up thirteen unique compounds (Hu
et al. 2003). H. occulta has also shown insect-repellency (Chen
1999). In New Guinea, H. cordata is said to be used for rain
magic, and H. versteegii [= H. lauterbachii] is said to be used
for love magic (Telban 1988).
CONCLUSION
My bioassay did not confirm the observations made by
Hamilton (1960) that the effects of eating agara bark include violent tremor, miosis, and a destructive frenzy. (It remains possible, however, that the ereriba leaves reported
to have concurrently been consumed contributed to those
effects.1) Rather, what I observed were dilated pupils,
increased pulse and heart rates, drowsiness, difficulty in
concentration, dizziness, relaxation, and a hypnagogic state
followed by euphoria.
Galbulimima belgraveana: 1) Branch with flower and bud, 2) opening bud, 3) stamen, 4) cross cut of stamen, 5) fruit.
Scanned from Zhisn rastenij (Life of Plants), 1980. Vol. 5, Part 1. Moscow.
105

by Jon Hanna
Legend has it that the infamous alcoholic beverage absinthe

was first created in 1792 in Switzerlandfrom a mixture
of distilled wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and anise
(Pimpinella anisum)by the French doctor Pierre
Ordinaire. Following popular outrage related to a couple
of murders that were said to be absinthe inspired, the beverage was first banned in Belgium in 1905. Switzerlands canton of Vaud banned it on May 15, 1906, Geneva followed
shortly thereafter, and on February 2, 1907 the Swiss national
legislature similarly chimed in. A July 1908 referendum ratified that vote and solidified the legislatures decision in the
Swiss Constitution under Article 32, and the national ban
finally went into effect on October 7, 1910. A few other European countries later similarly restricted it, and in America
the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued Food Inspection Decision 147 on July 25, 1912, which prohibits the
manufacturing or marketing of absinthe (an alcoholic beverage flavored with absinthe or wormwood) because it is injurious to health (Vogt 1995). Since the Federal Food, Drug
and Cosmetic Act of 1938 passed authority to the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate food additives,
I am unclear whether or not anyone today could be
prosecuted for violating an (obsolete?) 1912 USDA decision.
THE SWISS CHANGE THEIR MINDS

On June 14, 2004 the Swiss Parliament voted to lift the ban
on absinthe. By March 1, 2005 it was once again legal to produce absinthe in Switzerland, so long as the thujone content
is within The European Community Codex Committee on Food
Additives restrictions: Annex II of Directive 88/388/EEC on
flavourings sets the maximum levels for thujone in food and
beverages to which flavourings or other food ingredients with
flavouring properties have been added: 0.5 mg/kg in foodstuffs and beverages with the exception of 5 mg/kg in alcoholic beverages with not more than 25% volume of alcohol;
10 mg/kg in alcoholic beverages with more than 25% volume of alcohol; 25 mg/kg in foodstuffs containing preparations based on sage; 35 mg/kg in bitters. Pure thujone may
not be added as such to food (EEC 1988). These restrictions are
the same as previous recommendations by the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Additives except for the 25 mg/kg
in foodstuffs containing preparations based on sage, which
is a new addition (Codex Alimentarius Committee 1979).
106
Countless web sites state that thujone is banned as a food

additive according to Section 801A of the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act of August 1972. However, as far as I can
tell this section, titled Congressional Findings and Declarations: Psychotropic, is merely a statement of general policy
related to psychoactive compounds, which does not mention thujone specifically. According to the National Toxicology Programs Summary of Data for Chemical Selection:
Alpha-Thujone 546-80-5 (accessed on 8/9/05 http://
ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=03DB8C36-E7A19889-3BDF8436F2A8C51F): The use of thujone as a food
additive has been banned in the United States (Rogers, 1981;
Galli et al., 1984), but neither of the sources that they cite to
back this statement are federal regulations. At the same time,
this article also notes that: Thujone was identified through
a review of direct food additives given GRAS [Generally
Recognized As Safe] status by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although thujone has known toxicity that has
caused it to be banned from some products, 24 direct food
additives in the FDA Priority-Based Assessment of Food Additives (PAFA) database contain thujone. [Emphasis added.]
This appears to contradict the statement saying that thujone
is banned from food. Even if it was the case that pure thujone
is banned as an additive, this would not necessarily mean
that herbs containing thujone are banned. The FDA pattern
has clearly been to specifically mention those herbal additives that they require to be thujone free, while other
thujone-containing herbs do not have such a restriction.
Some of these 24 direct food additives are common spices,
such as thyme (Thymus species) and rosemary (Rosmarinus
officinalis), which contain slight amounts of thujone, and sage
(Salvia officianalis), which one source claims can contain
nearly six times the thujone content of Artemisia absinthium
itself (Duke 2005), although other sources site comparable
amounts of thujone (on the low end), up to only about three
times more (on the high end) (Pinto-Scognamiglio 1967;
Lawrence 1995). All of these herbs are listed as GRAS and
there is no restriction in the Code of Federal Regulations on their
inclusion in any quantities in food or alcohol (21CFR182.20).
Other thujone-containing herbssuch as white cedar (Thuja
occidentalis), oak moss (Evernia prunastri, E. furfuracea, and
other lichens), tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), and yarrow (Achillea millefolium)are allowed to be used in food or beverages
when that herb has been first rendered thujone free
(21CFR172.510). But this is clearly not the case with all
thujone-containing herbs, as noted above. The species name
Artemisia absinthium is not mentioned in the regulations, just
Artemisia spp. (although it is also referred to as wormwood). While this appears to indicate that any thujone-containing Artemisia is only allowed in food if it is thujone free,
elsewhere the Code of Federal Regulations seemingly contradicts this by specifically stating that tarragon (Artemisia
dracunculus) can be used in food, and there is no thujone
free requirement listed (21CFR182.20). Despite FDA regulation of Artemisia absinthiums use in food or alcohol, it is
still sold for consumption in herbal tinctures as a traditional
parasites cleanse (e.g, Clarkia Extra Strong), apparently
since the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education
Act limited FDA control over products labeled as dietary
supplements. However, this seems to make little sense, since
that ruling was devised to treat dietary supplements more
like foods than drugs, and since the FDA has banned thujonecontaining wormwood from use in food. Weird.
Considering that sage might have more thujone in it than
wormwood, and yet it need not be thujone-free as an additive, I e-mailed the FDA and asked: 1) Is there a citable regulation that bans thujone from food, and 2) Is there some specific cut off level of the amount of thujone that is acceptable to be included in food. Robert I. Merker, PhD, of the
FDA Office of Food Additive Safety, Division of Biotechnology and GRAS Notice Review, Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition, responded to my query by noting:
As a general principle, ingredients are generally recognized as safe only for particular intended uses and not
just for any purpose or at any level. Thus, [not] only the
amounts of the ingredients, but the forms of the ingre-
dients and how they are consumed may factor into their
safety determinations. In the appropriate forms (plant
parts, fluid and solid extracts, concretes, absolutes, oils,
gums, balsams, resins, oleoresins, waxes, and distillates)
they consist of one or more of the following, used alone
or in combination with flavoring substances and adjuvants generally recognized as safe in food, previously
sanctioned for such use, or regulated in any section of
this part. Moreover, if it is use as spices that you are interested in, rather than extracts from the spices, 182.10
is probably the relevant section, not 182.20. The levels
of the substances used in 172.510 (wormwood, etc.),
are probably quite small, because they are used for
flavoring only.
We have no particular acceptable levels of thujone that
would be considered safe, but obviously the amounts
used in spices or spice oils and extractives would likely
be very low. Moreover, the levels in spices would probably not be very high, because the amounts of spices
consumed are quite low in general (Merker 2005).
According to the Food Safety Research Information

Offices National Toxicology ProgramYear 2000 Current Directions and Evolving Strategies, thujone is one of several components of Herbs and Active or Toxic Ingredients under
Study by the NTP. Other herbs (and some chemicals they
contain) noted include golden seal, comfrey, echinacea,
ginkgo biloba, milk thistle, pennyroyal, aloe vera, ginseng,
and kava kava. The minutes from a committee meeting of
the Department of Health and Human Services National
Toxicology Programs (NTP) board of scientific counselors (September 1011, 2003) mentioned that the National
Institute of Environmental Health Services Dr. Thomas Burka discussed the studies that have started or are
complete on kava, ginseng, pulegone (active ingredient of
pennyroyal), thujone (active ingredient in wormwood),
gingko, black cohosh, senna, bladderwrack, green tea,
ephedra and two non-herbal dietary supplements, namely
ABSENTE LEGAL?
An absinthe-like product sold in the United States, called ABSENTE, is said to be legal because it is made from a less-bitter cousin herb called
southern wormwood, which is Artemisia abrotanum. While A. abrotanum can contain thujone, it is said to be naturally lower in thujone than
Artemisia absinthium. The only way that this product would be legal in Americaaccording to FDA regulations regarding any Artemisia speciesis if all of the thujone had been removed from it. MICHEL P. ROUX of CRILLON IMPORTERS LTD., who manufacture ABSENTE, states that his
product does contain enough thujone to produce mild psychoactive effects, but that its thujone-free by the standards of the government
(FODERARO n.d.). These remarks dont coincide with actual regulations; it would be interesting to see GC/MS results on this product. The thujone
content of southern wormwood may depend on where it is sourced from; tests of Moroccan plants showed relatively high thujone content,
while plants from the Pacific Northwest had no detectable thujone at all (PAPPAS & SHEPPARD-HANGER n.d.)!
107
chromium picolinate and androstenedione. And indeed,

tests have been and are being run on thujone(s) by Michelle
Hooth of the NTP. Early analysis checks to see if a substance
is mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium; if so, it is likely to
be a carcinogen in laboratory animals (and could present a
risk of cancer to humans). Two-week tests completed in the
year 2000 using S. typhimurium, as well as tests on mice and
rats, showed no evidence of alpha-thujone being mutagenic/
carcinogenic. Later studies completed in the year 2002 on
an alpha- beta-thujone mixture similarly showed no evidence
of it being mutagenic/carcinogenic in a two-week study. A
further 13-week study, to look for numerical or structural
chromosome damage by using a peripheral blood micronucleus test, showed a negative result for male mice, but a
positive result for female mice. The studies dose range, administered via gavage, was 6.25 mg/kg, 12.5 mg/kg, 25 mg/
kg, 50 mg/kg, and 75 mg/kg. At the higher doses, mice began to exhibit seizures. In females, the first mouse seizure
was at 55 days into the study, at the 25 mg/kg dose. For the
male mice it was nine days into the study, at 50 mg/kg. (No
male mice were observed having seizures at a dose lower than
this.) Both male and female mice given 25 mg/kg survived
for the entire 13-week study. At 50 mg/kg, mice started to
die. A further two-year toxicological study is currently underway; results should eventually be posted for this study at
the same web site that the above data came from: http://
ntp.niehs.nih.gov, which also provides additional specifics
on when seizures were first seen in each of the mice (if they
occurred), and at what point the mice either died or were
humanely killed during the experiments.
In Pharmako/Poeia, author Dale Pendell points out:
Mild convulsions in rats begin at around thirty milligrams of injected thujone per kilogram of body weight
(the LD50 for mice is 134 mg/kg). I weigh eighty kilograms. Therefore, a minimally toxic dose of thujone for
me is 2.4 grams, or fifty bottles of absinthe.
One glass of absinthe (forty milliliters of absinthe plus
two hundred milliliters of water) contains less than two
milligrams of thujone, 1/1200 of a minimally toxic dose.
For a substance to be classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the Food and Drug Administration,
their safest category, the nominal serving must be at least
100 times smaller than the minimum toxic quantity. It
appears from my arithmetic that absinthe is GRAS by a
factor of twelve (Pendell 1995).
108
The European Commissions Scientific Committee on Food

noted that the consumption of as much as 1 litre of an alcoholic beverage containing 5 mg/l, the maximum permitted
level of thujone in alcoholic beverages with up to 25% alcohol, would result in an intake of about 0.08 mg thujone/kg
bw for a 60 kg adult. This intake is about 100 times lower
than the NOEL [No Observable Effect Level] derived from a
14 week study in rats (SCF/CS/FLAV/FLAVOUR/23 ADD2
Final, 6 February 2003, from http://europa.eu.int/comm/
food/fs/sc/scf/out162_en.pdf ).
While the production and/or sale of an alcohol containing
Artemisia absinthium (with thujone) and made for consumption may be prohibited by the FDA, there is speculation that
it is not illegal to buy or consume absinthe. The FDA rarely
prosecutes the end-user (see www.erowid.org/ask/
ask.cgi?ID=2693), or so it is thought. If one can persuade
someone in a foreign country to import absinthe into
America, one may be unlikely to get charged with a crime
(although Customs could possibly seize the booze).
Another approach that has been taken in the United States
is to create a high-proof wormwood-based mouthwash,
which is not sold for consumption. Since wormwood has a
long tradition in herbal medicine as an antiseptic (Wren
1907; Dobelis 1986) and is currently used as such in the
Absorbine brand of liniments, such a product is not without legitimate merit, and this should be a legally viable
context for the production of an absinthe-like product.
Absent any specific regulation banning all thujone-containing herbs from food or alcohol, and with an agency currently
investigating toxicity issues, it appears as though it would
be possiblefor the momentto commercially produce a
consumable absinthe-like alcohol in America using the common cooking sage, Salvia officianalis. Considering that the
flavor sage imparts to food is somewhat less bitter than
wormwood, a more palatable alcohol might even be created.
And what with the potential higher thujone content of sage,
one might be able to use less herb by weight to concoct a
beverage of equal or greater strength. Keeping the thujone
content within E.C. Codex Committee on Food Additives restrictions, would largely allow export to Europe. One could also
produce a more potent version as a bitter, in order to legally
boost the thujone content by over three times; after all,
people interested in feeling thujones unique psychoactive
effects shouldnt necessarily be forced to get hammered on
booze. I propose that such a sage-based beverage be called
Absence, to denote its lack of the traditional ingredient.
Network Feedback
CORRECTING ERRORS
I received ER 13(2) and am happy to see that you are keeping
up the good work. I doubt anybody will complain overmuch,
that you again passed over an issue, so long as it keeps coming out (on the other hand, as Henry Thoreau observed:
The fault-finder would find faults even in Paradise).
I write to remark some trivial errors, one involving my own
work.
p. 46: Justin Case, et alii [nice bum, F. Gal!] must have got
my papers mixed up in an enematic way, inasmuch as they
state that: [I] found rectal administration of 5-MeO-DMT
uninteresting. In a way that is true, so much so that I didnt
even try it, certainly not again with a trivial amount of harmala alkaloids (which, even weret true, is blatheringly
vague: which? and how much?). It would have been uninteresting, since there were no reports known to me, of any
Virola-enema, which plausibly might have 5-MD as major
visionary principle! I did try bufotenine intrarectally, insofar as Anadenanthera-seed-extract-enemas have been reported, and any psychopticity must hinge on 5-HO-DMT
[bufotenine], which was what I modeled.
Perhaps we need a bit more T&A in ER, from the preponderance of
positive comments regarding that backside cover. Apologies for
the sloppy fact-checking on the count of your Journal of Psychoactive Drugs paper that discussed 5-MeO-DMT. In this case, the requisite paper was missing from our files, and TROUT was going from
memory. Thanks for the kick in the ass. DAVID AARDVARK
K. Trout responds: With regard to traditional ethnographic enemas, the closest would have been Anadenanthera seeds, which
can/may have DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and/or bufotenine. While bufotenine is often the primary one, DMT and 5-MeO-DMT show up frequently enough, and are sometimes the only alkaloid or alkaloids.
p. 48: This is not directly your bailiwick (perhaps it should

be, and that is my point) and I have written directly to [the
Botanical Preservation Corps] about it, but the advert
for BPC is far too vague in re the ingredients of the medicinal chocolate. You say caveat emptor with which I fully
agree, but not many people dispose of a library such as mine,
and how the hell are they to know what [the fuck] drug-plants
be clavohuasca, guayusa [that, f.i., it can be one of the richest sources of caffeine known], iporuru, chuchuhuasi and
maca? Besides, like so many vulgar plant-names, a couple of
these have multiple botanical referents, not to say
orthographical pseudosynonyms [pseudosyns?]. I suggest
you post an advert-policy: that prospective advertisers must
clearly label all herbal ingredients, at minimum, with unambiguous scientific binomials. The black-shirts are forever itching to prohibit self-medication and the food-supplement medicinal herbal market, and they have one very valid
point. Absent legal obligation, the vast bulk of manufacturers DO NOT label their products even marginally well (rather
with coyness, to be charitable; FRAUDULENCE, to be un-)
most importantly they throw in all sorts of meaningless buzzwords like spagyric, synergized, balanced optimum
formula and the like, when all any sensible person wishes
to know (and the law ought mandate) be: 1) precisely WHAT
does the nickel-bag nostrum contain?; and 2) in what
amounts?we wish to know HOW MUCH OF WHAT PART
OF THE HERB is in the minuscule bottle which, of course,
crackpot manufacturers are loath to mention, because the
amounts are usually trifling, else they use the chaff, not the
wheat.
All good points; note that the current BOTANICAL PRESERVATION CORPS
advertisement has been updated. On the other hand, we presume
that many (if not most) ER readers do have access to the Internet,
where information about common names and their Latin correspondences can usually be found fairly easily. And specifically in the case
of the BPC offerings, their own sites Exotic Botanicals section contains a bounty of additional detailsincluding Latin binomialsfor
each of the ingredients in their chocolate bars. DAVID AARDVARK
p. 55: K. Trout I assume means 20% potassium iodiDe, not

iodiNe. Moreover, he vaguely states a purported reduction
of several orders of magnitude [emphasis his] in overall volume of solvents required. Now, several = at least 3 [whereas
a couple = 2], and 10 to magnitude 3 = 1,000. Absent any
hard data here, does he expect us to believe one can reduce
the scale, say, from 2 liters to 2 milliliters? Das kann nicht
sein!
K. Trout responds: You most certainly are right on, regarding the
potassium iodide typo. Thanks very much for pointing out the error.
But you seem to have misunderstood chemist/author RICHTER
109
GIDEONS point to reach your next conclusion. This suggests that

other readers might have missed the point too? GIDEON was dealing
with huge amounts of ergot broth produced on an industrial scale,
and not two liters. The reduction is in the solvent required to be
used in the process of the extraction/manipulation of these huge
amounts.
Say a person had several hundreds of gallons of broth (or even several hundred liters). This would need to be extracted with a correspondingly huge amount of solvent. The same thing would happen
if we did an extraction of 100 pounds of dry star jasmine using a
dilute aqueous acid. There would be some grammage of raw alkaloid recovered but the extraction would in the process generate
seriously large volumes of aqueous liquid. And a correspondingly
large volume of solvent would be required to extract this.
Even taking a reduction of volume for the aqueous solution into
account, one can only reduce it so far before it gets too thick to
extract well. Thickness of the starting liquid was already a problem
for RICHTER GIDEON, so for him further reduction was not feasible. He
described his fermentation broth as being as thick as potato soup.
The resulting precipitation on the other hand requires far less solvent since it is not being used to extract the alkaloid from the aqueous solution. This is where the reduction in organic solvent volume
is accomplished. Basically all the solvent that will be needed at that
point is simply enough to dissolve and be able to physically handle
the material for regeneration of the base since the precipitation permits said raw base to be initially recovered directly from the aqueous solution by simple vacuum filtration. And this can, in fact, easily
represent a reduction of literally several orders of magnitude for the
amount of organic solvent required.
Perhaps you misunderstood where and why the reduction in required
volume was happening? In any case, this vaguely stated purported claim is not mine, but was one of RICHTER GIDEONS core
reasons for patentability, as stated in the original patent.
p. 75: Note that there are in all 19 species of Erythroxylum

known to contain cocaine in their leaves (including E. coca
and E. novogranatense, each of which has two distinct varieties, var. coca and var. ipad; and var. novogranatense and var.
truxillense, respectivelyall four commercial varieties, plus
five other Erythroxylum species, also contain cis- and/or transcinnamoylcocaine [in reality, cinnamoyl-ecgonine]) there
are at least 55 species used in ethnomedicine, some as stimulants, but only the 19 cocaine-species, and one other species,
all Neogan, contain any ecgonine-alkaloids [cocaine is
methylbenzoyl-ecgonine]). Vide: C. Rtsch & J. Ott 2003.
Coca und Kokain: Ethnomedizin, Kunst und Chemie, AT
Verlag, Aarau, Switzerland; Abhang Taffeln [Appendix
Tables]: pp. 230232 Erythroxylace Cocain; and pp.
233236 Pharmacopia Erythroxyli Non-Coc.
Jon Hanna responds: This was indeed my bad, as I was just
parroting data from the DBOTANY web site. However, of the 19
110
species that contain cocaine, how many of these contain amounts

that make them functionally useful? (I don't know the answer to
that, and alas dont read German.) When is your Coca book coming
out in English?
As soon as I get my Hacker up here to correct some maddeningly capricious problems with both my G3 and G4
PowerBooksI shall endeavour to cull-out a small handful
of unpublished pieces which remain yet fallen through the
cracks, so to do my part to keep TER fat and happy and off
the skids. Best. Jonathan Ott, Mexico
PUBLISHING ERRORS?
Thanks for hipping me to the enema thing (Summer 2004),
and also for Fun Gals nice photo. I dislike snorting stuff
(and worse, shooting stuff ). I tried both ways with ketamine.
I liked the ketamine, but still totally hate hurting my nose or
letting anyone go poke needles in me. I used a 1CC syringe
with no needle, filled with ketamine, pushed it all of the way
in (up to the handles), and squirted 100 mg up my butt. Wow!
It did not come on as fast as when I tried shooting it, but it
also seemed to wear off a lot slower. It sure works though.
I never imagined Id be sticking dope up my butt, but when
it comes to ketamine, I found my route! Ima B. Leever
A few weeks after the account above was sent to ER, K. TROUT made
the following remarks: Something said to me by a friend recently
suggests that the ketamine enema account forwarded to ER was
fictional, based solely on the data that we published in the Summer
2004 issue. While I doubt that it would not work as described, I also
have reason to doubt that the writer ever tried it. It was claimed that
I was sent this to see what would be published without questioning. In response, two evaluations of it by JUSTIN CASE went as described, except that he noted a persistent discomfort of the rectum
the day after these experiments. He claimed that this route was significantly less effective than IM, but more effective than insufflation.
With regard to the idea of hoaxing ER, this may not be new ground.
(See for example ER 6(1): 1213 and the speculations that followed
in ER 6(4): 4.) However, it is somewhat surprising that anyone would
take the time to send in such a boring and believable hoax. I mean,
come on, if you are going to see what would be published without
questioning, get a bit more creative and at least send something
that we might question. The enema is a tried-and-true approach,
using pharmacist-compounded ketamine pain relief cream. These
creams are created for transdermal application, and as such usually
contain pluronic lecithin organogel (see ER 12(1): 23 for a discussion of this compound), although they may sometimes instead contain DMSO, depending on what the compounding pharmacist decides to do. Those chemicals that assist absorption through the skin
would likely make the compound cream version of ketamine more
effective in an enema. It is worth noting that ketamine pain creams
are often also compounded with other drugs as well, a few of which
include ketoprofen/Orudis/Oruvail (an analgesic, anti-inflammatory,
and antipyretic that inhibits cyclo-oxygenase), and/or gabapentin/
Neurontin (an anticonvulsant in this application used for treating
nerve pain), and/or clonidine/Catapres (a centrally acting antihypertensive in this application used to treat neuropathic pain and/or opioid
detoxification), and/or amitriptyline/Elavil (a tricyclic antidepressant
in this application used to treat pain). We suspect that the ketamine
enema enthusiast might wish to obtain a pain cream that was free
of anything other than ketamine and perhaps something that had
topical analgesic properties like lidocaine (considering JUSTIN CASES
remarks). To date, we know of perhaps a dozen or more folks having
confirmed that ketamine cream via enema is effective without question. And the straight ketamine approach has now been
replicated and confirmed active as well.
While we could have refrained from publishing this report entirely, it
brings up an important point (whether or not it is a hoax). There
really isnt any way to tell in many cases if the data submitted by ER
readers is factual or not. ER has existed for thirteen years as a network newsletter, generally relying on the idea that people sending
in their experiences and questions are sincere in their communications. It seems somewhat pathetic that a person would have nothing better to do than culture jam a small circulation publication whose
purpose is to shed some light on the frequently confusing and largely
taboo topic of contemporary psychonautical ethnobotany and
ethnopharmacology. In any case, I suppose that this incident gives
us reason to suggest that all readers revisit our disclaimer on the
inside front cover of each issue. We do our best, but we are subject
to human error and susceptible to being mislead just like everyone
else. DAVID AARDVARK
At this point Mr. K. Trout informed me that it was wellknown that acidic extractions of Mimosa were inactive without an MAOI, and that both Ott and Aardvark had extracted with neutral water. While it is difficult to see how a
lowered pH could inactivate something that was bound for
the stomach, I tried another experiment. I followed the
procedure of Ott and Aardvark as closely as possible, and
prepared 25 grams of well-proven bark with neutral cold
water, and drank on an empty stomachclose to four times
my usual dose. Again, I experienced no visionary effects.
I retched at +30 minutes.
There was, however, one small difference between my preparation and that of Aardvark. Aardvark had used a French
coffee plunger to strain his brew, I had used filter paper.
I stared at the brown mud on the paper. I wonder . . .
I put 100 mg of the dried filter cake in a spoon and held it
over an alcohol lamp. Sure enough, inhaling the vapors produced clear tryptamine effectsnothing overwhelming, but
exciting and pleasant. And I couldnt have inhaled more than
a few milligrams of the smoke. I first thought of 5-MeO-DMT,
just from the nature of the effects and the strength, but
5-MeO-DMT has never been found in Mimosa tenuiflora.
The fine powder might make a good snuff. This, of course,
relates little to the question of oral activity. D.P., CA
MORE CORRECTIONS?
Both Jonathan Ott and David Aardvark have reported
that the root-bark of Mimosa tenuiflora (Wildenow) Poiret
is active without an MAOI (TER 8(1): 2224). I have been
unable to replicate this activity. There are lots of explanations for negative findings, but, as negative findings often
tend to remain unreported, Im hoping that this note will
prompt other ER readers to add some data points to this
interesting issue.
My first experiment was with a group of eight experienced
volunteers, all familiar with Mimosa extractions drunk with
harmel (Peganum harmala). The bark was extracted with cold
water and lemon juice over several weeks. Volunteers drank
150 to 200 percent of their usual dose, but without the
harmel. While some felt that there might be something
there, the general consensus was all of the nausea, none of
the fun. In fact, most agreed that a previous experiment,
of drinking just the harmel without the Mimosa, was more
visionary.
In early February of 2004, we were told that a very potent, possibly

novel tryptamine had been extracted from Mimosa tenuiflora rootbark via a process described in a later issue of The Entheogen Review (ER 13(2): 4950). The person who made this report had a
reasonable amount of experience smoking DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and
bufotenine, and felt certaindue to the potency and the nature of
the effectsthat what he had ingested was not any of these. (The
effect was so dramatic, that it sounded as though it may have scared
this person off from performing a second bioassay.) We suggested
that the isolate be sent to a lab for GC/MS analysis, and were told
that this was planned. We have not heard anything more regarding
this. Another sample of M. tenuiflora root-bark extract that was sent
for GC/MS analysis recently was shown to be exceptionally pure
DMT onlyalmost as pure as the reference standard.
Considering your report above, I decided to attempt smoking filter
cake residue. 25 grams of Mimosa tenuiflora was powdered and
soaked for 90 minutes in about 16 oz cold water. This was then
crudely filtered through a pasta strainer (to remove the bulk of the
fiber and particulates), then poured through a coffee filter. The residue was dried, scraped off the filter, and 100 mg was placed into a
clean (never used) DMT pipe. Although you reported an effect from
only a few milligrams of the smoke, I figured that I would take
one inhalation and see how things progressed (ultimately
111
vaporizing the whole 100 mg, if needed). After the first inhalation
with no effects, I continued to hit the pipe until no more vapor was
produced. Aside from a mild light-headed feeling, there were no
effects. My next attempt was made with 600 mg of the material,
placed into a VOLCANO vaporizer unit (which had previously been
successfully used with pure DMT). I sucked down two bagfuls of
vapor processed in this manner, to no effect (other than lightheadedness again). When I looked at the powder residue in the
chamber, about 50% of it was clearly toasted (almost charred), and
the remaining 50% looked reasonably fresh still. So it is quite possible that there was uneven heating going on in the chamber, and it
may be that more bags could have been filled. However, generally
with volatilized tryptamines, one wants to get the entire dose from
one bag within three or four inhalations, so this material did not
seem concentrated enough to use in this device (on the presumption that it may not have all been spent and if it would have been
active had it all been consumed). Alas, while you can offer no confirmation of Mimosa tenuiflora being orally active via cold-water extraction consumed with no added MAOI, I am unable to offer any
confirmation of filter cake residue being active when heated and
inhaled. (I wish that I could.)
Since the initial publication of positive bioassays of cold-water extracted Mimosa tenuiflora, we have only received a single correspondence on this topic, which stated that 25 grams gave very
mild but quite pleasant results and It seems for me that a much
larger amount than 25 grams of root-bark is required (ER 8(4): 135).
OTT has also remarked that the two times with a few subjects that
I have since repeated this, and it did work, the amounts were a bit
higher: 3035 grams of root-bark/dose, if memory serves me (OTT
2005). We are somewhat bewildered that we have not received more
bioassay reports regarding this process. A possible explanation might
be that many people did not receive positive results, and folks are
less likely to write in and say, I tried this, and it didnt work. In any
case, we appreciate hearing about your own results.
Why it works is still anyones guess. Independent GC/MS analysis
reported finding the -carboline 2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-carboline in Mimosa tenuiflora earlier this year (MOECAT 2005),
but this could have been an isolation artifact. Previously, this compound has been found in Virola barks (HOLMSTEDT et al. 1980). However, this -carboline is speculated to produce only trivial MAOI action (MCKENNA 2005; CALLAWAY 2005). JACE CALLAWAY has discovered a new phytoindole from Mimosa tenuifloraone that is in an
entirely new class of compounds; the activity of this chemical is un-
known, but it could possibly act as a MAOI. CALLAWAY has also remarked that from his observations, there are at least a handful of
indoles in this species, aside from DMT, and many of them are quite
large and unstable (CALLAWAY 2005); experiments with known doses
of these isolated chemicals might prove valuable in nailing down
some of the discrepancies. (We are eager to read CALLAWAYS paper,
which has been accepted for future publication by Planta Medica.)
OTT has speculated that there may be some new tryptamine or DMT
adduct contained in it, and the scant data reported above related to
some potent compound producing effects when vaporized and inhaled may suggest that there is indeed a highly active novel
tryptamine in it. More recent GC/MS was done this year, which did
not show the presence of any novel tryptamines, but they might
have been lost in the isolation process (see article related to this pp.
116117) or not present in this particular sample of the root-bark.
Why it doesnt work can also only be speculative at this point, and
could be based on one or more of a number of factors, including:
ALKALOID PROFILE: Different individual trees may contain different
alkaloid profiles depending on several factors including genetics and
environment. SOURCE: Material from Brazil may have fewer alkaloids than material from Mexico, but more analysis needs to be done.
PREPARATION: Variation in extraction procedures may affect results.
POTENCY: Some material may simply be more potent than other
material, with regard to any mystery alkaloid(s). For DMT content,
OTT has reported a range of 1% to 11% (although practically speaking, it seems unlikely that the higher end reported is the norm), and
any other alkaloids present might also have an equally wide range
of concentration. MISIDENTIFICATION: OTT has pointed out that
Mimosa tenuiflora does look like any number of chaparral-type,
mesquite-type, Mimosas or Acacias and superficially could be mistaken for Acacia farnesiana (OTT 2005). In recent years mis-identified Argyreia nervosa seed, Lagochilus inebrians seed/flower/
herb, and Mitragyna speciosa herb/extract have all been offered
commercially. [In the case of DP, CA, misidentification is unlikely,
since the bark was well-proven when taken wth a MAOI.] DIFFERENCES IN INDIVIDUAL BIOCHEMISTRY: Some folks may have higher
or lower amounts of gastric MAOI in their systems, and this could
have some effect on the activity of any mystery alkaloid(s). AGE
OF MATERIAL: Although the DMT content of M. tenuiflora is reasonably stable when stored for long periods, it is possible that the mystery alkaloid(s) degrade faster. It may be that root-bark needs to be
fresher in order to be orally active sans MAOI. PLACEBO EFFECT:
Although unlikely, it is possible that those people who reported positive results were only having a placebo effect. DAVID AARDVARK
N E W !
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112

by Mulga
The serendipitous discovery by the current author around a

decade ago of a previously unreported species of Australian
Acacia being used as a probable source for simple
entheogenic tryptamine alkaloids due to previous misidentification was based on bioassays amongst a range of the
authors associates and acquaintances (Mulga 1996). There
are no published studies concerning the alkaloid profile of
the species identified as Acacia obtusifolia, despite peoples
use of various extracts of Acacia species for entheogenic purposes in more recent times. A sample of simple alkaloidal
extract from A. obtusifolia bark was subjected to HPLC-MS
analysis in order to help identify the constituents.
MATERIALS AND METHODS

A sample of alkaloid stem-bark extract from Acacia obtusifolia
was obtained. Although no specimens of the particular plant
were gathered or submitted for formal identification, the
author is confident that the material came from A. obtusifolia.
A few milligrams (based on sight, not accurately weighed) of
golden crystalline alkaloidal extract was dissolved in 2 ml of
methanol and subjected to HPLC-MS analysis with an
Agilent series 1100 HPLC, using a reverse phase solvent system of water and acetonitrile (both containing 0.005%
triflouroacetic acid), running a gradient of 10-95% acetonitrile over 35 minutes through a Phenomenex C18 5 mm
column (150 x 4.6 mm), at 40C. Only fragmentation ions
over 100 were included in Mass Spectra (MS).
RESULTS
Figure 1 shows a HPLC chromatogram of the extract, with
UV absorption at 210 and 280 nm using Diode Array Detector (DAD), which appears to consist primarily (90% or more)
of one substance with a retention time of 5.3 minutes in the
system used, and some traces of other related alkaloids.
The Mass Spectra of the major constituent is shown in Figure 2. It shows a base fragment peak m/z 144, a parent peak
at 189, and secondary fragment peak at 130. This suggests a
molecule of atomic mass 188 (M+) and corresponds somewhat with published MS values reported for N,N-dimethyltryptamine (Trout 2002).
The three smaller peaks at around 4.95 minutes and at

6.5 and 7.3 minutes respectively appear initially to be
tryptamine, and simple -carboline alkaloids respectively.
A single fragment on the MS at m/z 144 for the peak with
retention time of 4.95 minutes, was assumed to be the same
fragment as appears in the previous MS (Figure 2) and corresponds in weight to cleaving the amine group from a simple
tryptamine molecule. This suggests either tryptamine or
perhaps N-methyl-tryptamine, though a parent fragment for
neither was detected on the MS.
The MS of the peak at 7.3 minutes (Figure 3) had a base peak
at m/z 158, with fragment peaks at 130, 144, 170, 183 and
apparent parent peaks at 199 and 201. A similar MS
(Figure 4) was obtained from HPLC-MS analysis of Acacia
complanata leaf extracted in methanol. This species has previously been reported to contain simple -carboline alkaloids, mainly N-methyl-tetrahydroharman or leptocladine
(Johns et al. 1966) with a molecular mass of 200.
Within these later peaks of the Acacia obtusifolia extract
chromatogram, there appear to be traces of some closely
related alkaloids.
DISCUSSION
Previous reports of simple tryptamine and -carboline alkaloids from Australian species of Acacia, and related species
from the SW Pacific (Poupat et al. 1976) and Asia (Liu et al.
1977) (Table 1), have been more widely referenced during
the last ten to fifteen years (Trout 2002).
Although two Australian speciesAcacia maidenii and A.
phlebophyllawere reported in the 1960s to contain simple
methylated tryptamine alkaloids (Fitzgerald & Sioumis
1965; Rovelli & Vaugan 1967), there has been little information concerning the constituents of other species, or possible
variation between different populations of the same species.
The results of this HPLC-MS analysis supports the occurrence
of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) as the major base of Acacia obtusifolia stem-bark, with traces of related compounds
such as tryptamine (or NMT) and -carbolines.
113
Figure 1
Figure 3
Acacia obtusifolia was identified

serendipitously as an active and potent
DMT source after successful extraction
of alkaloids from the stem-bark. That
1994 isolation had been done under the
assumption that the specimens were
thought to be A. maidenii in 1994.
Figure 2
can be seen in a review of reports shown

in Table 1. As the sample analyzed was
a crude alkaloid extract, there are quite
likely to be some differences between
the whole plant (or other plant parts)
alkaloid profile and this sample.
The complexity of a genus of over 1100

species in a vast continent like Australia and correct identification of plant
material is no small matter. Many active local varietiesin form, or chemistry, or even speciesmay yet come to
light with further studies. It is possible
that other specimens or species may
produce similar or related alkaloids, as
There was no indication of any 5-substituted tryptamine alkaloids as reported from related genera, such as
Anadenanthera, Desmodium, Virola, and
others (Trout 2002), and they have not
yet been reported from members of
Acacia subspecies Phyllodinae (Racosperma) in the scientific literature,
which is not to say that they are not
present. Their tentative occurrence is
Despite numerous attempts over the

years, it has taken nearly a decade for a
sample to finally see analysis, even
though extracts of this plant were already being used as an entheogen due
to misidentification. Such analysis is
important, if only to help secure the
identity and relative safety of any previously unknown plant or extract.
114
reported in several Acacia species elsewhere based on TLC (Trout 1998,

2002) and also via GC/MS (see Figure
5, although a second analysis of the
same material showed no bufotenine,
but instead found a compound suspectedbut not confirmed to be 1,2dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobetacarboline).
Acacia obtusifolia is closely related to
A. phlebophylla, and it is not surprising,
at least in the authors experience, to
find a similar alkaloid profile. A.
obtusifolia is far more common and
widespread, with A. phlebophylla considered vulnerable to endangered, with
a total population on Mt. Buffalo
thought to number around 6000, prior
to wild fires in January 2003 (Walsh et
al. 2000).
Given the lack of control for weight of

extract and original source material and
no internal standard to compare or calibrate equipment with, these tests were
unable to determine quantitatively the
alkaloid content of Acacia obtusifolia
stem-bark. Previous work has suggested
between 0.1% and 0.7% dry weight as
the yield of total alkaloids from A.
obtusifolia stem-bark. A single reference
to 0.15% yield of alkaloid has been reported under the name A. intertexta (=
A. obtusifolia), but no further details are
available (Collins et al. 1990).
At least some specimens of Acacia
obtusifolia appear to have relatively high
levels of DMT and traces of related alkaloids in the stem-bark (and probably
other plant parts), based on these results and the authors previous studies.
TABLE 1
Tryptamine and -carboline Alkaloids Reported in Literature
from Acacia subsp Phyllodinae (Racopserma)
Figure 4
SPECIES
PLANT PART ALKALOIDS REPORTED
REFERENCE
A. complanata
Phyllodes
N-methyl-tetrahydroharman
tetrahydroharman
Johns et al. 1966
A. confusa
Root-bark
DMT, NMT
Liu et al. 1977
A. maidenii
Stem-bark
DMT, NMT
Fitzgerald & Soumis 1965
A. phlebophylla
Phyllodes
DMT
Rovelli & Vaughan 1967
A. simplex
Phyllodes
& Twigs
DMT, NMT,
N-methyl-tetrahydro--carboline Poupat et al. 1976
Stem-bark
DMT, NMT,
Poupat et al. 1976
N-methyl-tetrahydro--carboline,
N,N-formyl,methyl-tryptamine
115
SOME THOUGHTS
ON ANALYSIS
and Comparisons
of Extracts
and Synthetic DMT
by K. Trout
When interpreting plant analysis results, it is important to
understand there are several potential reasons for the variations in alkaloid expression that one may encounter. Sometimes this is the result of differences in alkaloid content and/
or composition. Other times it may instead hinge on a lack
of comparability between samples.
Often, people read an analysis in the literature and then attempt to apply it to the material they have in their hands, as
if alkaloid content is a static and stable feature of plants. In
reality, while an analysis may say something about the material being analyzed, it says less beyond that. More to the
point, when a plant has published results that show a single
alkaloid composition and content rather than a range, it is
probable that the plant had one sample analyzed one time
only.
ACACIA OBTUSIFOLIA
TOP TWO PHOTOS BY ZARIAT
BOTTOM TWO PHOTOS BY K. TROUT
116
Within most populations there often can be found individuals that can vary substantially from the rest of that population. Different harvest times, environmental conditions, and
nutrient availability can all create quite disparate yields, and/
or even variable compositions for the isolated alkaloid fraction. Different preparation approaches creating the sample
tested can also produce very different outcomes. If these details are not known about the materials being looked at in
an analysis, the comparison of samples can have relatively
little meaning. For example, when isolated material from
Acacia obtusifolia gets more white or light (or crystalline)
from people trying to clean it up by recrystallization, further acid/base partitioning, or preparative chromatography,
there is often little else remaining except for the major alkaloid. This means that in the case of plant isolates, the more
purified the product, the less likely it is to actually represent
the alkaloid profile of its plant source. Some alkaloids, such
as bufotenine and -carbolines, are readily separated from
DMT during the recrystallization process, so they can be
absent from the final product even if present in substantial
amounts in the plant.
We were fortunate enough to have access to four samples of Acacia obtusifolia

extract, along with a small bit of harvest or preference data, and a friend willing
to run GC/MS. These samples were chosen for comparison due to having been
isolated with an intention of preserving the intact alkaloid content of the plant;
all were crude, semi-solid, and fairly oily. Colors ranged from orange to reddishbrown, and were sometimes quite dark. It was common for people to express a
perception of the darker material producing heavier, darker, and more intense
trips. On the other hand, the orange resin was frequently described as being
much friendlier and more colorful. Many who preferred the orange material
felt it to be closer in effect to pure DMT. A significant number of those who preferred the brown material felt that it was more useful in their spiritual practices.
One friend commented that the brown material held more serious lessons, and
hence more valuable learning opportunities. These sorts of preferences may be
influenced to various degrees by many factors including set and setting, and even
the psychological effect of certain colorsalthough in this case it appears there
may be some chemical/pharmacological foundation behind the preferences, as
not all people expressing these opinions knew what color of resin they ingested.
Figure 5
In all four samples, DMT was vastly the major alkaloid. Trace amounts of alkaloids other than DMT and bufotenine were also present in all samples, but none
of these were identified. Seemingly in keeping with what was suggested by bioassays, the brightest orange-colored material (said to be a summer extract) had almost no bufotenine, while the darkest brown sample (said to be a winter extract)
had the most bufotenine. The other two samples had small but intermediate levels of bufotenine; one of these was somewhat darker, although it was said to be a
summer extract. Bufotenine (see Figure 5) does not appear to have ever previously been formally reported from any Acacia species; however, suspicions of its
presence have been voiced for more than ten years by Acacia extract consumers
in Australia.
We approached another chemist in order to double-check the results noted above.
When GC/MS was run on the darkest sample, this time it did not show bufotenine, and instead showed what might have been 1,2-dimethyl-1,2,3,4tetrahydrobetacarboline or something similar. DMT was, as expected, the major
alkaloid. The chemist performing analysis for us commented that due to its polarity, bufotenine might not have been discernible in the test columns used, and
more work with this in mind would be required to prove its absence.
Another consideration related to the alkaloid composition of Acacia is the potential impact of crude approaches to obtaining the resin. If large masses of material
sit for extended periods during the act of solvent removal, these can form distinctly colored zones ranging from light to dark within the same mass. Differences in effects between these zones have been reported by users, with the lighter
areas most often associated with purer DMT effects. It is reasonable to think that
alkaloids will at least partially segregate within these zones during the crystallization process, so that even within one large lot there may be substantial differences in alkaloid composition for the portions that are distributed from within
them.
ACACIA OBTUSIFOLIA
SEEDLINGS ABOVE BY K. TROUT
TREE BELOW BY FLOYD DAVIS
117
We have heard comments of Mimosa tenuiflora extracts being perceived of as friendlier than Acacia, and the orange
Acacia being perceived of as friendlier than pure DMT.
While this might involve the action of some other alkaloids,
it is probably also in part a function of dosage.
The Acacia extract tends to be a semi-solid to solid, oily and
often semi-crystalline mass that can readily be shown to contain large amounts of insoluble material. This means that,
at best, the resin is far from being pure alkaloid, much less
pure DMT. Any given chunk of pure DMT will therefore be
more potent than the same weight chunk of Acacia extract.
A similar picture exists for the Mimosa extract but for a
different reason. While Mimosa extract may be extremely
pure, quite dry, and solid, it tends not to be used as lumps or
powder, but rather as small and irregular (often curving)
flakes or chunks. These take up more room than either
Acacia or pure DMT, which can lead people to over-estimate

(and thereby underdose) the amount being used as their
dose unless weighing it. Visually, a gram of Mimosa extract
can occupy nearly twice the volume of a lump of orange waxy
synthetic or oily Acacia resin, easily leading people to erroneous conclusions when comparing eyeballed amounts.
It is important to keep in mind that we did not have access
to enough samples where known details were available, so
the data presented is still insufficient to firmly establish any
predictable trends. However, it is enough to indicate a need
for more work. A rigorous survey examining the potential of
1) variations in the alkaloid content and composition of different local populations, strains, or clones, and 2) fluctuations in individual plants based on season, time of day, and
environmental factors such as stress, would be of great
benefit to the whole community, so long as samples are
chosen that can permit a direct comparison.
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118
Seeds & Stems

DANCE PATRONS ARRESTED
On March 20 in Flint, Michigan, a nightclub was raided by

60 officers from four different local law enforcement groups.
The officers arrested 17 people on felony drug charges, but
cited more than 100 with misdemeanor drug possession
charges or, for those who did not have any drugs, charges of
frequenting a known drug establishment. Frequenting a
known drug establishment is a misdemeanor charge that
carries a potential 90 days in jail or $500 fine. [S]ome attendees were subjected to strip searches and full cavity
searches. [Posted 3/24/05 to www.drugpolicy.org/news/
032405flint.cfm; see URL for full story.]
ENTHEOGEN: AWAKENING THE GOD WITHIN
www.maps.org/avarchive/igwana/Entheogen.mov
A film that blends several styles of documentary storytelling in a sensory-overload/free-association collage, attempting to recreate the psychedelic experience. Features
many noteworthy researchers. It is planned for release at next
years Sundance Film Festival. A trailer for the movie can
be viewed at the URL listed above.
ECSTASY TESTING PROJECT OUT OF FUNDS
As of August 1, 2005, the Ecstasy Testing Program at

www.ecstasydata.org has run out of funds. Testing costs
$1,500 a month in laboratory fees for 15 pills per month (with
a $30 co-pay). The program is seeking a professional grant
writer to help them apply for appropriate grants to fund the
project. If you qualify, please e-mail info@ecstasydata.org.
FREE TO PLANT SEEDS?
www.freedomthroughjustice.com
Follows Ron Kiczenskis upcoming trial on the question of

whether or not human beings have the natural-born right to
grow any plant. This question has never before been brought
to a federal court, and the government is said to be having
major difficulties attempting to explain the justification for
this type of over-reaching jurisdiction. Pleadings, transcripts,
and the December 9, 2004 findings and recommendations
by the magistrate can be read at the URL listed above.
Pre-trial conference is set for September 19, 2005, and the
trial is set for November 2, 2005.
IBOGAINE ART
www.gammalyte.com
Dave Hunters beautiful collection of ibogaine-inspired art.

PALENQUE NORTE
www.matrixmasters.com/pn
A favorite spot to hang out at the Burning Man Festival

(www.burningman.com) is the Palenque Norte lecture
tent. Talks from this years entheogen-related presentations,
featuring RafaelO Aisner, Sheelo Bohm, Bruce Damer,
Erik Davis, Rick Doblin, Frank Echenhofer, John
Halpern, Jon Hanna, Matthew W. Johnson, Sandra
Karpetas, Leah Martin, Valerie Mojeiko, Tony Moss,
Michael Nickel, Daniel Pinchbeck, Brian Richards,
Marcelino Sepulveda, Andrew Sewell, Stasia, and
Sobey Wing, should be posted to the web site at some point
following Burning Man. The site also features talks from
past years, as well as audio from Palenque conference favorites like Terence McKenna and Christian Rtsch.
THE CANNABIS EXPERIENCE
AND EVERYDAY FUNCTIONING STUDY
www.thecannabisexperience.info
An anonymous online survey that takes 30 minutes to complete, attempting to help judge whether Cannabis use is
harmful, completely harmless, or somewhere in between.
The study aims to explore the nature of the relationships between individual and environmental factors associated with
patterns of Cannabis use, and their impact on everyday functioning in terms of psychological well-being and cognitive
functioning. Survey acceptence ends June 30, 2006.
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
THE GEFFEN CONTEMPORARY
ECSTASY: IN AND ABOUT ALTERED STATES
OCTOBER 9, 2005 FEBRUARY 20, 2006
www.moca-la.org/museum/moca_geffen.php
This exhibit features works from 1990 through the present

by 30 artists whose works experiment with transcending
everyday physical and mental conditions, creating a heightened sensory experience for the viewer that elicits myriad
responses, including awe and surprise, humor and delight,
even confusion and sublime contemplation.
119
MIND STATES VI CONFERENCE REVIEW
120
ALEX GREY AND CAREY THOMPSON
LUKE BROWN AND ISIS INDRIYA
REVIEWED BY CLEAR DAY ONE: Visual decadence, mindful flavors of alternative nutrition, sound, and healing. A gaggle of freaks, all generations,
all stripes (and polka dots and plaid). All ages the web site said, kid friendly. Id bring my kids if I had any. I was sitting in the chill-out space listening
to some delicious ambient music, electronic and soothing. A painting up on the wall, a galactic Mayan motif, higher realms and higher planes. I
smelled some oils, flowery, fruity, lemon I think, cleansing. There were a lot of Oms and crystals. Oh, there, I saw my first child, a young boy 8 or
9, blonde with a green fuzzy turtle back pack. And another, fist full of trail-mix for me. Snack-snack. Joan said to say high to a man named Frank
and his black bag of magic goodies. Old heads and new heads, young heads and dead heads. People came from all around the world to attend, to
immerse and learn and network. Susan Blackmore on memes, such a head opener. But what about the smallest meme or the memetization of
experience? Sasha and Ann Shulgin Q & A, Yea! Questioned from lunatics. Such a gradient from the chemists geeks to the party freeks; and no, 2CB/T... will not show up in a standard urine test. Accosted, entertained, and seduced by a flirty photographer with no pockets. Shes out on a yang tip
of the Art world, business of photography down in So-Cal. Synchronistic wedged in for her as her sister was a vendor of fine wares there at Mind
States: tinctures, balms, oils. I saw Jon, the organizer, whirling on stage with children, a boy and a girl. His long blonde hair was straight and shining.
Charles Hayes, author of Tripping, on memory. I really tried to keep up, I was fascinated, but so much, so fast, so good. Michael Shermer on
skepticism, a meme-busting meme. The mushroom panel: Linda Corazon talked of the native use and the adventures of Salvador Roquet. Mike
Crowley spoke of the Buddhist connections with psychedelic mushrooms, blue stemmed parasols. Charlie Grob spoke of his science and psyche
practice, extemporaneously as the PowerPoint projector was out. Tom Reidlinger spoke of the 50 year anniversary of the advent of the mushroom into
the life of Western Consciousness. DAY TWO: It takes me one-and-a-half hours to get sitting down in the convention centers theater. I caught the
tail end of the first lecture. Hes sponsored by DARPA, I dont like that intention, a fellow participant said to me. If you take it out all the way were
all dead, arent we? I responded. Blech, it doesnt take anything to just listen, does it? The speaker was talking about cognitive science and neurostimulation, long distance thought projection, 2 monkeys in 2 different rooms. Mark Pesce had quite an elaborate presentation with neato abstract
video playing, a bit of a Terence McKenna lecture (again preaching to the choir), and a didgeridoo. He spoke of BitTorrent, Wiki, the Outfoxed plug-in,
Cellphedia, trust, and the need for a health regimen of media exercise. In the Q & A someone remarked that the psychedelic sections of Wikipedia are
a bit sparse and we should be doing a better job of getting the info out. I agree. After the lecture I went to make a call and was accosted by A., a
young enthusiastic woman, who mistook me for a fellow poster on entheogen.com. Piers Bizony: Scientists are from Mars, Artists are from Venus.
Spoke of the aesthetics of Science and scientists as they experiment. It seems so simple of an idea, but so profound (as is much in the symposium) that
Scientists are not the cold-hearted archetypes of lore. He spoke of the pinning down of our universe by black holes, the instruments of galactic
evolution. I was invited by a speaker to a post-Mind States party out in Marin on Monday. She was one of the speakers (the only woman) on the
mushroom panel last night. She holds traditional ceremonies down in Mexico. She obviously loves what she does. I skipped the multimedia lecture/
dance. They spoke of a global dance culture, Burning Man and such. Been there, done that. I dont want to be cocky, and its not like I yelled out some
obscenities. I just left the auditorium when the chunky translating slides of galaxies slid by as a backdrop of the strains of some generic tribal electronic
music came on with a couple of dreadlocked dancers. The visionary artists panel: Donna Torres and her garden of visionary plants. A soft-spoken
woman relying heavily on her notes, nervous. Jim Woodring (my personal favorite) spouted a lucid treatise on his work Lazy Robinson. Donna Tracy
a texture artist talked of digital waste digitritus, fractals, ascetic transcendence, and the palette for evolution. Robert Forman, a genuine New Yorker,
a yarn worker, and psychedelicist. His travels to the Huichol and Guadalupe. Vibrata and her evolution from dualism to interdependence. I wish that
Sue was able to MC the panel because they ran out of time and there was no Q & A. I think the whole introductory factual/lecture download could have
been skipped in its entirety and we could have had 2 hours of Q & A, YES! DAY 3??? Excerpted/adapted from posts at http://mindstates.tribe.net.
PIERS BIZONY AND SASHA SHULGIN
PHOTOS BY GENEVA BUMB & B. RAD
Events Calendar
AYAHUASCA HEALING RETREAT
SEPTEMBER 2028, 2005
A DOPE DEALER
OCTOBER 4, 2005
Ceremonies in Baha, Brazil with ayahuasca, meditation, lectures, transpersonal exercises, and excursions. Staff includes
Sue Minns, Gary Reich, Silvia Polivoy, and Zoe Seven.
A second retreat is scheduled for October 412, 2005.
See www.ayahuasca-healing.net for more information.
Confessions of a Dope Dealer author and actor Sheldon

Norberg presents a lecture at Rutgers University,
Piscataway, New Jersey. Check www.adopedealer.com for
more details.
MINDS WIDE OPEN

SEPT. 24 NOV. 29, 2005
Held at the Light Space Gallery at 1732 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
in Venice, CA 90921, this visionary art show features work
from Luke Brown, Dean Chamberlain, J Garcia, Alex
Grey, Allyson Grey, Paul Laffoley, Kenny Scharf,
Carey Thompson, Stacy Valis, Oliver Vernon, Robert
Williams, and Susan Williams. For more information, see
www.lightspacegallery.com. From December 15 through
January 11, this show moves to the east coast MicroCOSM
Gallery. See http://microcosmgallery.com.
SYMBIOSIS GATHERING
SEPT. 30 OCT. 2, 2005
Symbiosis is an arts, music, and lifestyle gathering held at
Big Basin State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. Three days of dancing, camping, exchanging ideas
and creativity, holistic medicine exploration, spirituality, nutrition, and communal networking. Featuring visionary art
from Carey Thompson, J Garcia, Kris Davidson, Mark
Henson, Zariat, and more, presented by Zoetic Art. With
a tribal bazaar, veggie food, DJs and live music performances,
workshops, and lectures. Early-bird tickets are $55.00
each for the whole three days. For more information, see
www.SG05.com.
SACRED ELIXIRS
OCTOBER 2223, 2005
A conference on the role of drug plants in the history of religion. Speakers include Mike Crowley, Marlene Dobkin
de Rios, Paul Devereux, Clark Heinrich, Michael
Horowitz, Robert Jesse, James Kent, Ralph Metzner,
Cynthia Palmer, Dale Pendell, Tom Riedlinger, Alexander Shulgin, and Ann Shulgin. Plus poetry, workshops
on breathwork, meditation, psychotronic devices, and vendors of books, artwork, and entheogenic plants. Single day
tickets are $55.00 each, or a two-day pass is $90.00. Tickets
can be purchased online at www.sacredelixirs.com or by
sending payment to: Narthex, Inc., 2530 Berryessa Road,
PMB 60, San Jose, CA 95132.
ECSTASY & EXPERIENCE

OCTOBER 29, 2005
Presented by MOCA and the New Center for Psychanalysis, and held at the MOCA Grande Avenue, Ahmanson Auditorium, speakers will discuss the exhibition Ecstasy: In and
Out of Altered States (see page 119), within the context of ongoing research into psychoactive drugs such as MDMA and
psilocybin. Presenters include Charles Grob, Ralph
Metzner, Thomas Brod, and others. $30.00. For more info
call (213) 621-1745 or e-mail education@moca.org.
121
DOING
TIME
Sources
by Jon Hanna
www.pondman.nu
A May 17, 2005 press release from the
RESEARCH CHEMICAL UPDATE
Department of Justice stated that DAVID
As reported in the Summer 2004 issue of The Entheogen Review, several online
vendors of so-called research chemicals (R.C.) were busted on July 21 of
that year by the DEA. Sentences related to some of those arrests, handed
down earlier this year, are noted in the sidebar to the left.
WILLIAM LINDER, a/k/a Dr. BENWAYwas

sentencedto life imprisonment[and]
an additional combined 410 years imprisonment, to be served concurrently for
crimes related to his research chemical
sales. In this situation, the overdose death
from AMT consumption of an 18-year-old
man no doubt contributed to the severity
of the sentence.
www.americanchemicalsupply.com
MICHAEL BURTON pled guilty on March 21,
2005, to distribution and possession with
intent to distribute Controlled Substance
Analogs which resulted in the death of
JAMES DOWNS, and he is facing a sentence of 20 years to life in prison (DUGAS
2005).
www.racresearch.com
APRIL CURTIS told The Entheogen Review
in early August that she was sentenced to
37 months (hoping to serve only 1218
months), and fined $100 (CURTIS 2005).
www.duncanlabproducts.com
RAYMOND DUNCAN got two years in prison
plus three years probation (EROWID 2005).
122
The DEA used R.C. companies credit card records from Internet and phone
purchases to contact some previous customers and threaten to take action
against them if they did not cooperate with the investigation. Concern was
expressed to me by a consultant to the DEA that these records may have
retained details regarding the sizes of purchases that customers made. The
feeling was expressed that those who had ordered a gram or two of something were unlikely to have problems, but those who had ordered large quantities might be flagged with dealer status, and could run into trouble in
the future. While over a year has passed with no busts reported being directly tied to these investigations (other than the company owners), one
wonders how long the DEA might sit on such data for use at a future date.
While R.C. company customers may feel as though they are doing nothing
wrong by the letter of the law in ordering non-scheduled chemicals, it nonetheless strikes me as being prudent to take a few precautions when placing
orders for items that may have questionable legality. (This includes virtually anything that could be used as a drug or considered drug paraphernalia.) Obtain information about a companys products and prices by surfing the web at a public library, then place the order via snail-mail. Pay with
a money order, preferably purchased from a small towns post office where
one is not a regular customer. (Convenience stores and large post offices
frequently have a surveillance camera pointed at their customers.) Use an
alias and a non-traceable mail drop. (Consider too that one who repeatedly
uses the same mail drop might be easier to target through surveillance.) A
friend who occasionally visited D.M. Turner to exchange various questionable items once mentioned to me that Turner always donned a pair of
gloves before making any transactions. Considering that evidence which
helped nail Casey Hardison to the wall (see page 94) included his fingerprints on a package of intercepted contraband, Turners protocol seems to
be basic common sense.
The R.C. market temporarily turned into a ghost town after the 2001 bust
of Mark Niemoeller of JLF Poisonous Non-consmumables. But as time
passed, various companies opened up and again provided R.C. offerings.
After the 2004 Operation Web Tryp busted several R.C. distributors, some
other companies with similar offerings shut down completely, or removed those items from their catalogs. For a
while the scene was quieter, although not all such companies completely disappeared. An oft-asked question sent to
me in care of The Entheogen Review these days is, What R.C.
companies are currently in business, and which companies
are trustworthy? I have had no personal interactions with
any of the companies listed below, and I have been unable to
locate much data on any of them, whether first-hand, second-hand, or mere rumor. Dealing with such companies,
even in the safest manner possible, is a risk that I would not
take myself. However, I encourage those bolder than me to
report back with their experiences.
AMS RESEARCH
http://ams-research.com/english
A Japanese company with a good selection that is willing to

sell to any country except for the United States.
BRAVO TRADING LTD.
www.bravo-trading.com
Located in Hong Kong, this company has one of the widest

selections currently available. As an example of their prices,
they offer 2C-I for $320 per gram and 5-MeO-DMT for $230
per gram. While they will sell R.C. to U.S. addresses, they
wont ship 1,4-butanediol into the United States. They wont
ship R.C. to Canada or the United Kingdom.
GBL CLEANERS
www.gblcleaners.com
Sells gamma-butyrolactone; ships from Canada and claims

that shipping is guaranteed. See web site for prices.
JMAR CHEMICAL
www.jmarchem.com/main3.html
No idea if these folks are actually still in business, but it seems

unlikely. Their web site is somewhat squirrely, with major
pages not displaying and others not connecting. The page
listed above was last updated on July 25, 2004, and an e-mail
asking if they were still accepting orders went unanswered.
LEGAL DRUGS CANADA
www.legaldrugs.ca
Offers 2C-I for $200 per gram and 5-MeO-DMT for $300 per
gram; their web site mentioned pre-ordering available for
2C-T-2 and 2C-E, to be shipped in late July, but this had not
been updated as of early August. Some web forums have
listed both complaints and compliments for this company.
LEGAL HIGHS
www.legalhighs.org
This appears to be the same company reviewed in ER 12(3):

105 under the slightly different name yourlegalhighs.com.
Their advertising is sensationalistic and sometimes inaccurate, and remarks in R.C. web forums suggest that they are a
rip-off.
NANO STYLE
www.nano-style.com
A Japanese R.C. company that offers a large selection of

chemicals. If you dont read Japanese, you can Google nano
style and use the page translation service to gain some idea
of what they offer. Placing an order, however, is likely to require sending them an e-mail to sort it out, presuming that
someone at their company can read English. Prices are listed
in yen.
QRB RESEARCH
www.qrbresearch.com
I know people personally who ordered from this company

back when they primarily showcased R.C. offerings. Following Operation Web Tryp, this company was reworked, and
they now focus mainly on botanical extracts. However, they
do still list 2C-I as being available at $300 per gram, with a
two-week wait noted for delivery time.
TRANS HUMAN CHURCH OF
ENLIGHTENMENT
www.thespice.ca
The Trans Human Church of Enlightenment was set up

in Canada to declare the use of spice as a religious sacrament in that country, and also to sell spice to their members. (As of January 2005, they were selling spice for $180
CAN per gram.) By placing an order, you automatically become a member of the church. Spice is not currently scheduled in Canada, and this approach is being taken in order to
solidify spice as a religious sacrament so as to exempt it
from any future legislation. The web site doesnt state what,
exactly, spice is, perhaps to avoid being easily targeted for
prosecution. (Ironically, I found this web site by doing a
Google search for the term erowid, as they were using
Googles AdWords advertising in order to announce themselves to the world; not particularly subtle advertising!) Their
web site said that anyone who e-mailed could ask what the
identity of spice was, and they would get an e-mail back
letting them know. (Really, what is the point in all this
maybe just to collect a good e-mail SPAM list?) So I sent off a
123
query, and got no response. I asked someone from a Canadian entheobotanical business if he had heard of this organization, and what spice might be. He said that it was 2C-I,
and that he had spoken to people in BC who have dealt with
them, and he was pretty sure its not a scam. More recently, in early August when I visited their URL, the bulk of
the site had been removed and replaced by a notice (dated
May 2005), which said that they were still in operation and
still processing orders and working on a new site. Considering that the site no longer provides any ordering information, they must only currently be processing orders from past
customers. One can read a bit of their previous web site by
searching for their name at Google and using the Cached
feature. I dont have much confidence in this group.
THE LEGAL EDGE

After a five-year break, entheogen attorney Richard Glen
Boire has returned to his law practice, specializing in criminal appeals, expungements and other relief for allegations
concerning Cannabis, psychedelics, research chemicals, and
other forbidden substances. Consultations are available.
He has also reworked his zine The Entheogen Law Reporter as
an e-mail newsletter, which can be signed up for from
www.convictionfree.com/subscribe.htm. The first issue
that I saw was merely a short blip providing links to

a news story about a New Mexico court decision stating
that growing psilocybin-containing mushrooms is not
a state crime (www.freenewmexican.com/news/29120.html)
and another news story related to New York legislators targeting Salvia divinorum (www.longislandpress.com/
?cp=162&show=article&a_id=4377). Hopefully future issues
of TELR 2.0 will have more in-depth legal commentary by
Boire.
IN OTHER LEGAL NEWS

www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/
streamdocument.asp?did=318544
In Louisiana, Act No. 159 went into effect on August 15, 2005,
making it illegal to possess, manufacture, or distribute a laundry list of various plants, if they are intended for human consumption. From the look of the list, it would appear as though
the people who compiled it have little real knowledge of the
activity of some of the plants that they are banning. Those
found guilty of possession could face up to five years in prison
and/or up to a $5,000 fine. Those guilty of manufacture or
distribution face 210 years and a fine of up to $20,000. For
the text of the law, see the URL posted above.
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124
Book Reviews
More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement
by Ramez Naam. 2005, (Broadway Books/Random House, Inc.,
1747 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, www.broadwaybooks.com),
Hardcover 0-7679-1843-6. $24.95. [6.5" x 9.5"], 276 pp.
Psychonauts throughout the years have often used the phrase

consciousness expanding to describe the effects of psychedelic substances. It seems implicit to some people that the
alchemical mystery which unfolds when a persons nervous
system encounters drugs like LSD and DMT is a dissolution
of the typical constraints of human awareness; we temporarily enhance our understanding, our empathy, even, potentially, our capacity for serenity and peace. Arguments can
be made that the psychedelic experience is not inherently
expanding or enhancing anything, let alone consciousness,
but thats not really the point; on a person by person basis,
the experience is so subjective and ephemeral that who can
truly arbitrate the question?
Well, as it turns out, science is rapidly catching up to that
question; with every passing year, we learn more and more
about the inner workings of the brain. The quest begins with
the desire to heal, but then quickly moves past healing the
sick to enhancing the healthy. What would you do, then, in a
future world where a single pill might produce beneficial effects to your moodyour consciousnessfor months at a
time, by altering an aspect of your genetic make-up? How
would you react if you learned that technology existed to reliably trigger psychedelic experiences simply by delivering a
precisely targeted electrical impulse to your brainand what
would you do if you knew that experience could be recorded
and transmitted via the Internet to a pal in Kuala Lumpur
who intended to play it back and experience it, just as you
experienced it? How much more expanded would your consciousness be in a world like that?
In his remarkably entertaining new popular science book,
More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement, software engineer Ramez Naam walks us through
a giddying array of possible futures, all of which have very
real and very clear roots in the science of the present day. In
chapters such as Choosing Our Bodies, Choosing Our
Minds, and A Child of Choice, Naam offers case study
after case study demonstrating how techniques originally

intended to heal will eventually be used to enhance the
human experience.
For instance, in the quest to slow the onset of Alzheimers,
researchers have learned that implanting modified neurons
into the brain of a 60-year-old woman successfully stimulated
overall neuron growth. There is a continuum here all the way
to faster learning and augmented memory in the healthy.
Naam points out that smart drugsand he means reliably, measurably effective smart drugs like Ritalin and
Adderallare already incredibly common in our society; he
quotes psychologist Ken Livingston, who says, Even if you
have never been diagnosed as having a problem paying attention, many of these drugs will improve your focus and
performance. What if we could engineer the same performance enhancing experiences without any of the nasty side
effects, by using gene therapy to mimic the useful actions of
these drugs in our brains? As we continue learning about
the genes involved in personality, Naam notes, This accumulated knowledge base could be used to create new drugs
that sculpt or alter any aspect of human behavior: infatuation, pair bonding, empathy, appetite, spirituality, thrill
seeking, arousal, even sexual orientation. Try that on for
consciousness expanding.
While unlocking the mysteries of the human genome and
deciphering the topology of the brain, we see tantalizing hints
that we may someday be able to expand our lifespans and at
the same time compress morbiditymeaning well live to
be 150 or more and wont be bed-ridden and miserable for
the last 75 years of it. Drugs that mimic caloric restriction
might someday truly fulfill the promise of making us thin
and young-looking without really working at it. (Look, theyve
done this to some very interesting mice, so it could someday
happen to you.) Paralyzed individuals are already controlling computers with nothing more than their thoughtsdid
you see that coming so fast even just five years ago? Blind
people now have limited vision thanks to brain implants;
devices called deep-brain stimulators can help treat the
tremors of Parkinsons, and maybe treat previously
untreatable depression.
125
Naams important leap is that its inevitable that healthy

people will want access to these technologies as well, especially if they prove safe and reliable. He never ignores the
current risks and downsides (hey, turns out it might be dangerous to drill holes in your head), and he clearly admits when
he is speculating about the future evolution of these techniques. But the sanest examplescosmetic surgery, Botox,
the rise of anti-depressantsmake clear that he is on to
something when it comes to how market forces will react. By
the time he got to describing digital video input interfaces
displaying neural video format in my head, I was completely hooked; I want eyes that can zoom and a brain with
wireless satellite access. I want a thought-controlled skip
button on the media player in my brain, I want 24/7 IMDB
access to settle trivial disputes, I want pills that make me
young and sexy and feel like Im on MDMA for two months
at a time (marketed, perhaps, as Spring Break). And what
Naam makes especially, crucially clear is that use of these
technologies should be your choice. You should have the freedom to do these things to your consciousness. You should
have the ability to research and understand the risks and
implications, and you should be allowed to make your own
decisions. Sounds unfortunately familiar, no doubt.
The title of Naams book proudly announces his optimism.
In Naams worldview, the overarching story of history is the
way we have pulled ourselves out of the muck of evolution
and built for ourselves a world of increased intelligence,
longer life, and more luxury for everyone. He sees the technological and medical advances described in his book as continuing evidence that the world is on a path to improving its
state, one nervous system at a time. His arguments face stiff
competition in todays world; some biomedical ethicists see
grave risks in increasing the human lifespan, for instance, or
allowing in vitro genetic manipulation to select for desirable
traits in a human child. But as Naam points out, there was a
time when blood transfusions and organ transplants raised
the ire of ethicists and laypeople alike, and few would now
questions the value of these techniques. Some argue that only
the rich will benefit, but Naam offers convincing evidence
to the contrary, showing that over time, technologies that
improve the quality of life almost inevitably spread to the
places where they can continue to do the most good.
In the end, the arguments against these enhancements sound
like the voice of an irate grandfather seeing your mohawk
and nose piercing for the first time. While the more conservative agenda shouts, You kids get off my lawn! the rest
of the worldnotably Asia, where support for these
126
approaches is considerably higher than in the Westis going to get on with its transhuman self, producing competitive, economic advantages that the West will eventually have
to respond to. Naam states early on that moving to ban these
technologiesand in some cases, the bans are already with
uswill eventually produce a black market. And, well, we
all know how effective the black market can be.
Perhaps most importantly, Naams book is just a damn
good read. Whether you agree with or fear his conclusions,
he offers an eloquent tour of the current state of these technologies, and that in itself is worth the price of admission.
Scotto
NEW & FORTHCOMING WORKS

The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its
Applications by Christian Rtsch. Foreword by Albert
Hofmann. 2005, (Park Street Press, One Park Street, Rochester, VT 95767, www.InnerTraditions.com), hardcover 0-89281978-2. $125.00 [8.5" X 11.25"], 942 pp.
Jonathan Ott previously reviewed the original 1998 German edition of this book (TER 8(2): 8183). The layout of
the new English translation is nearly identical to the German
version, although the publisher did remove the erroneously
labeled photo of a Cereus peruvianus (as Ott pointed out),
and corrected it with a Trichocereus peruvianus photo. Also
worth also mentioning from Otts review is his speculation
that when a translation of this book eventually appeared in
English, it would be doubtful the book [would] see a commensurate quality of production this side of the Atlantic,
which is not the case. The Park Street Press offering is actually better than the original. Page quality is excellent, photographic images seem a tad sharper, and while the German
book was 7.75" X 10.75", the American edition is a larger
8.5" X 11.25", and sewn-and-glued with a higher number of
signatures. In short, this beautiful book is the ultimate reference volume on psychoactive plants. While the cost is high,
it is worth every penny. David Aardvark
Pharmako/Gnosis: Plant Powers and the Poison Path by Dale Pendell. 2005 tba. (Mercury House, POB 192850, San Francisco,
CA 94119-2850, www.mercuryhouse.org), paperback 1-56279130-3. $21.95 [7" X 9"], 304 pp.
The final volume of Pendells plantastic trilogy, Pharmako/

Gnosis is squarely focused on the entheogens. It should be
available in October of 2005. David Aardvark
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128

The Journal of Unauthorized Research
on Visionary Plants and Drugs
Editor: David Aardvark

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courtesy of Mark McCloud
In celebration of Albert Hofmanns 100th birthday,
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Are you feeling lucky?
The Entheogen Reviews Publishing Schedule

Albert Hofmann Speaks
Marc Emery Busted
Five Things You Can Do To Help Marc
Hyperspatial Maps
First Voyages with Salvia divinorum
Salvia divinorum on top of Argyreia nervosa Extract:
A Trip in Laugh Land
Network Feedback
Correcting Errors
Publishing Errors?
More Corrections?
Some Thoughts on Analysis
and Comparisons of Extracts and Synthetic DMT
Seeds & Stems
Mind States Conference Review
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Sources
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Bibliography
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Know your Body

Know your Mind
Know your Substance
KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE
KNOWLEDGE
Contributors
Albert Hofmann
Rick Doblin
Charles Grob
John Halpern
Michael Mithoefer
Andrew Sewell
Casey William Freeblood Hardison
Daniel J. Siebert
Dana Larsen
Susan Blackmore
Dr. Wily
Benjamin Thomas
Jon Hanna
Jonathan Ott
K. Trout
Ima B. Leever
D.P., CA
Mulga
Clear
Scotto
David Aardvark
CONTENTS
Know your Dose
Know your Source
EROWID
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A library of information about psychoactive plants and drugs.
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THE ENTHEOGEN REVIEW

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Volume XIV, Number 1

Autumnal Equinox 2005

The Entheogen Review

Editor: David Aardvark

Design & Layout

The Entheogen Reviews Publishing Schedule

Disclaimer: Information presented in The Entheogen Review comes from

Statement of Purpose: This journal is a clearinghouse for current data

Back-issues: A limited supply of back-issues of The Entheogen Review are

Know your Body

Know your Dose

Know your Source

A library of information about psychoactive plants and drugs.

VOLUME XIV, NUMBER 1

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX 2005

The Entheogen Reviews

THE ENTHEOGEN REVIEW, POB 19820, SACRAMENTO, CA 95819-0820, USA

VOLUME XIV, NUMBER 1

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX 2005

Albert Hofmann Chemist, Discoverer of LSD

Jochen Gartz Chemist, Mycologist

On the occasion of the 100th birthday of Dr.

John Halpern Doctor, Harvards McLean Hospital

Lectures Panels Seminars Workshops

Martin A. Lee Journalist, Writer

Felix Hasler Neuropharmacologist, Hallucinogen Researcher

Fred Weidmann Visionary Artist

THE ENTHEOGEN REVIEW, POB 19820, SACRAMENTO, CA 95819-0820, USA

VOLUME XIV, NUMBER 1

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX 2005

January 11, 2006, is the 100th birthday of Dr. Albert Hofmann.

THE ENTHEOGEN REVIEW, POB 19820, SACRAMENTO, CA 95819-0820, USA

VOLUME XIV, NUMBER 1

Albert Hofmann: I was looking for a substance like a

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX 2005

Albert: Not amphetamine, no, no

Andrew: Hydergine? Mescaline?

Rick: And we need it so much, in todays world.

Albert: The fourth ring of lysergic acid is a ring like in

Albert: Our society needed a change in consciousness. Just

Rick: Like amphetamine?

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Department, it went to the full appeals court, and, a couple

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX 2005

Ayahuasca is generally only four hours or so. So in a sense,

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VOLUME XIV, NUMBER 1

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX 2005

John Halpern: Sure. Greetings Dr. Hofmann, happy birthday.

Hosting for ethnobotanical web sites.

The Entheogen Review

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VOLUME XIV, NUMBER 1

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX 2005

Rick: Because thats something that was just sort of lost in

Andrew: I think the psychedelic effects are not related to

John: Im sorry, within the next two months.

Rick: (laughs) Okay

John: I spoke with Jan Bastiaans, just a few months before

Rick: I should add that I think there is definitely something