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Questions tagged [drugs]

Of or pertaining to drugs throughout history such as but not limited to the trafficking, trade, production, or use of drugs whether legal or illegal.

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Are there any first-person subjective reports from individuals exposed to Agent BZ?

Agent BZ is a chemical weapon explored by the US military which induces overwhelming hallucinogenic states. While there's a fair amount of data on the history of this subjects and the rough ...
ConnieMnemonic's user avatar
2 votes
4 answers
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Were there hippies in the USA in 1930?

I was wondering if there were hippies or a group with similar worldviews, around 1930 in Chicago or in general in the USA. I would also be interested in their worldview / philosophy. Are they ...
Drik's user avatar
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Why did the British Empire try to criminalize cannabis in India three times when they had good experience with its taxation?

The British Empire passed a taxation act on cannabis in India in 1798, apparently for the well-being of the natives. What the most likely motivation behind the taxation act is, I don't know. In 1838, ...
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When, where and why did ascribing insanity to cannabis use begin?

When reading about the historical perceptions of cannabis, especially those of the elite, cannabis is often said to cause insanity. I'm pretty sure there was a point when British elites were talking ...
A. Kvåle's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
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Why was cannabis illegalized in the U.S.?

There seems to be a notion that cannabis was illegalized due to capitalism. I've read some theories as to how this happened, and one of them goes something like this: Commissioner of the National ...
A. Kvåle's user avatar
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What was Karl Marxs views on drug use?

Considering the involvement of leftist guerrillas in south america in the drug trade got me thinking. How does that consolidate with the idea that the communist revolution is supposed to be for the ...
lijat's user avatar
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27 votes
3 answers
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Was any stimulant used in wars before WW2 that gave a significant advantage to soldiers?

During World War II German soldiers were given a drug called Pervitin, which was a form of methamphetamine and is considered having given them a significant advantage during the war. Was any ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
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1 answer
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Why did Bayer lose aspirin and heroin trademarks under the 1919 Treaty of Versailles?

As read in the article Heroin by Wikipedia: Bayer lost some of its trademark rights to heroin (as well as aspirin) under the 1919 Treaty of Versailles following the German defeat in World War I. 83 ...
fedorqui's user avatar
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What drugs were used in England during the High Middle Ages?

It's well known that alcohol was brewed and drunk throughout the Middle ages in England, but I wonder what is known from archaeological evidence and contemporary sources about what other drugs were ...
Jack Aidley's user avatar
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1 answer
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Was WWII Systemic Drug Use by Axis and Allies Supported By Scholarship?

Both sides in WWII widely used addictive drugs in an attempt to boost the performance of their soldiers and sometimes even their leadership. The American Military institutionalized this practice in ...
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Drug abuse in the Holy Land?

Was there prevalent drug abuse in the Holy Land at the time Jesus lived? If so, what drug would that be? By "abuse" I mean use of large quantities of the drug over time which may have had mind ...
Sapiens's user avatar
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What's the earliest evidence of drug abuse?

Let's define drug abuse as drug use that is harmful to to the user or to others. Evidence of alcohol and opiates go back thousands of years, but some reading hasn't revealed when these substances ...
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8 votes
1 answer
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What percentage of the British Empire's economy was profits from the opium trade?

Between 1820 and 1840 the British sold a lot of Opium in China. Compared with the total size of the British Empire's economy, how big was the Opium trade? I have an old friend who maintains that even ...
Astor Florida's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
9k views

How did the baking soda recipe for crack cocaine catch on?

I have read that prior to the 1980's, those who wanted to partake of the smokable form of cocaine sometimes did so with a relatively involved and dangerous procedure involving a blow torch as an ...
aparente001's user avatar
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How common was drug abuse and related deaths in the USA during the conservative 1950s?

The 1950s are often idolized as a relatively pure era in self-image and fiction: People were friendly and helpful and knew how to behave, children did not need to have fear of stranger-danger, the ...
Thorsten S.'s user avatar
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33 votes
5 answers
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How prevalent were recreational drugs in the ancient world?

A recent discussion about the Queen Mab Speech in Romeo and Juliet, prompted us to wonder whether Mercutio was on drugs. Which then led to the question of how prevalent recreational drugs where ...
SleepingGod's user avatar
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Who made wine from poisonous Heracleum?

Heracleum or cow parsnips are high-latitude plants that can produce severe inflammation in humans. They seem like the last thing someone would want to ingest. However: Flora on Kamchatka: flowers and ...
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11 votes
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Were tobacco and marijuana ever competing products?

My question is whether tobacco and marijuana were ever competing products in Europe. It occurred to me that marijuana is an Old World plant, whereas tobacco is a New World plant, and therefore had to ...
adam.baker's user avatar
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11 votes
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Which car was the first to come with a cigarette lighter receptacle?

While many cars today are phasing out the cigarette lighter (if they do have them they no longer include the lighter, just the socket), I was curious which car or car manufacturer was the first to ...
otteheng's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
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What were the most used drugs in battles and wars?

I have read that germans used extensively Pervitin (Methamphetamine) in WWII. So, I guess there are other drugs used in wars and battles throughout history. What were the most used drugs in battles ...
Belisario's user avatar
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10 votes
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Where is the Nemesis?

Where is the Nemesis today? Is it simply 'lost at sea', at a museum somewhere, or more likely (as it was an EIC vessel), was it sold for scrap? I did a brief search (of the web), but couldnt find it. ...
Matthew Peters's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
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Did Jefferson and Washington smoke weed?

According to this document (page 26, §1): Like all farmers, Washington probably sampled the quality and potency of what he grew, and he may have used this hemp to treat his chronic tooth aches. ...
Juicy's user avatar
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20 votes
3 answers
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Were any drugs (except alcohol) forbidden during medieval or ancient times?

I assume that some drugs where known to humanity in some way or other for a long time, but I think actually prohibiting certain drugs would require a state that (for reasons of morals, public health, ...
mart's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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Was there other research focusing on the medical uses of ether in the 18th Century?

In recently seeing the John Moulton statue celebrating the first use of ether in Boston: it occurred that this sort of research usually doesn't happen in a vacuum. Were there other medical colleges, ...
MichaelF's user avatar
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8 votes
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When was cannabis legalized in the Netherlands?

In which date was cannabis legalized in the Netherlands? I mean the introduction of coffee shops
Abramodj's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
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Were there opium dens in Russia during the 19th century?

The title says it all. I've tried searching information on opium use in Europe, but I can't find any source that says whether or not opium dens were ever prominent in Russia specifically.
Wes's user avatar
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3 answers
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Is there evidence that communists supplied drugs to West Berlin?

I've read an interview with Nick Cave, who lived in West Berlin in the 1980s and was a drug addict. He said that the "stuff" was very cheap and good - by that he probably meant very pure. And he said ...
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