Ten Plants That Are Used To Make Illegal Drugs

To celebrate the launch of my first novel "Cupid by Proxy" on the creative writing crowdfunding site Inkshares, I thought I would list Ten Plants that are used to make Illegal Drugs, as this is a strong theme throughout my book.

1. Magic Mushrooms

shaman2b / Via shroomery.org

Let's start with magic mushrooms, that is to say mushrooms that contain the active compounds psilocybin and psilocin. Magic mushrooms illicit a wide spectrum of effects on the users mental faculties including changing their perception of time, modifying the sensitivity levels of their senses and promoting excessively deep introspection and thought.

Commonly ingested fresh or stewed in hot water the effects start kicking in after about half an hour. The user will start to notice things that they were unaware of before, like slight changes in lighting, sound, smell or touch. Such sensitivity to sensory inputs only increases as the trip gets more intense.

The photo used above shows the "Mexican Cubensis" strain of magic mushrooms. There are countless types of magic mushrooms that grow naturally around the world. Each strain has its own differing quantities of psilocybin and psilocin, which makes each shroom very different to the next.

You can read more about Magic Mushrooms here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin_mushroom

2. Erythroxylaceae Coca

Gary Sargent / Via escapedtoperu.com

Erythroxylaceae is a group of 4 types of bush/shrub whose leaves contain the alkaloid Cocaine, the most famous one being Erythroxylaceae Coca, whose leaves are chewed regularly in South American countries. Each leaf contains only around 0.5% of the Cocaine alkaloid and so chewing these leaves will not give you a high. Instead its a mild stimulant, a bit like drinking strong coffee. It can increase heart rate, improve concentration, suppresses hunger, thirst, pain, and fatigue. Coca leaf extract was used in the popular beverage Coca Cola for a period of about 40 years up until 1929 when it was removed.

When a huge quantity of leaves is brought together and soaked in several specific solvents, you are able to separate the cocaine alkaloids from the rest of the leaf and therefore refine it into a much purer and potent form. This starts as a paste but is then dried into a powder. This powder is then snorted up the nose, resulting in a massive high. Coca leaf is considered a cash crop in many South American countries, but in the Western worlds of mainland USA and Europe, its refined form commands a high price.

You can read more about Coca Leaf by visiting - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca

3. Papaver somniferum

Acta Plantarum / Via actaplantarum.org

Papaver somniferum is latin for "Sleep Bringing Poppy". More commonly known as the "Opium Poppy", this is the plant from which Morphine, Codeine and Heroine are all derived. While the poppy is growing, the green seed pod at the top becomes engorged and incisions are made which allow a milky white sap to seep out. It is this sap that contains the highest concentration of active opiate compounds and is typically about 10% pure morphine. The body of the poppy also contains opiate compounds and so is also used in the drug refining process.

Away from its drug use, the Opium Poppy is commonly considered one of the most beautiful flowers when in full bloom. Because of this, it is not illegal to grow these plants in your own home. Here in the UK, it is OK to cultivate Opium poppies but if you want to extract the opium from them for medicinal purposes, you will need a licence.

You can read more about the Opium Poppy here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaver_somniferum

4. Cannabis

Dillon Jernigan / Via osoti.net

Cannabis, Marijuana, Weed, Pot, Bud... Whatever you prefer to call it, Cannabis is the most widely known, popular and generally accepted illegal drug on this list. There are numerous comedy films based around its usage (Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, Half Baked and Cheech & Chong) and you stand a good chance of smelling its pungent aroma drifting out of a house, garden or car if you walk around any town long enough.

There are three main ways Cannabis is prepared for consumption, flower, resin and the oil. Most cannabis flowers contain only 5% of the active compound THC while resin may contain up to 20% and the oil 60%. Rolling up a joint containing dried cannabis leaves is by far the most common way people use this plant.

You can find out more here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug)

5. Ergot

Evolva / Via evolva.com

Ergot is a fungus that grows on rye. It produces the alkaloid ergotamine that contains Lysergic Acid, which means it has something in common with the synthesized drug LSD. The effect that this alkaloid has on humans is sometimes called "St Anthonys Fire", named after some monks and the burning sensation that those they treated reported feeling in their legs. It can also induce intense hallucinations and irrational behavior.

It is now commonly believed that the dancing plague of 1518 that affected the village of Strasborg, causing all those affected to dance until they died of exhaustion, was caused by Ergotism. The strange situation lasted for almost one month and about 400 people, mostly women, were afflicted. Around 15 people per day died from heart attacks, strokes or general exhaustion.

Read more about Ergot here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergot

6. Lophophora williamsii

AFP-JIJI / Via japantimes.co.jp

Lophophora williamsii is a small cactus that grows in Mexico and contains mescaline alkaloids. This cactus is often called Peyote and has been used for thousands of years in shamanistic rituals as it can induce intense hallucinations. The part of the cactus that grows above ground consists of segments, known as buttons. It is these that are cut off and dried before being ingested.

Over the course of the drugs 12 hour effect, the user will enter a state of deep introspection. This state of being is commonly reported as being almost religious in nature due to its intensity, even when consumed outside of a religious setting.

Read more about the Peyote cactus here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyote

7. Ephedra sinica

Dobra Nasiona / Via dobrenasiona.com

This bush has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Decongestants like Sudafed once synthesized their main ingredient Ephedrine from from it but since this is now considered a controlled substance, they have changed their recipe.

Ephedrine has a similar chemical structure to amphetamines and because of this, it can be used to create methamphetamine. This has made ephedrine a highly sought-after chemical precursor in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine (crystal meth).

It is legal to grow the ephedra sinica plant but if you do, you need to notify the government that you are doing so and accept that they make wish to inspect your garden.

Read more about Ephedra here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephedra

8. Sassafras Aalbidum

3 Foragers / Via the3foragers.blogspot.co.uk

Sassafras Aalbidum is a genus of trees whose roots contain high levels of safrole, a chemical used to make MDMA, the active ingredient in Ecstasy. Typically consumed as a very small dose of a refined oil, safrole typically starts with an intense feeling of nausea before any effects that could be considered as positive are felt. As the nausea, excessive sweating and heart pounding begin to subside, the user is hit by waves of euphoria that last a couple of minutes each. This effect continues for the duration of the trip.

Find out more about Sassafras root here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras

9. Catha edulis

Jamal Osman / Via channel4.com

Catha edulis or Khat is an amphetamine-like stimulant which grows as trees/bushes around the Red Sea region. Fresh leaves are chewed to achieve a state of euphoria and stimulation. Infact it has very similar properties to the other leaf based substance on this list, the coca leaf. The leaves need to be consumed fresh because only 48 hours after picking, the powerful alkaloid cathinone decomposes leaving behind the milder chemical cathine.

Khat was made illegal in the UK in 2014 after an upsurge in use was noticed among certain recent immigrant groups. This ban did not limit the availability of fresh Khat in the UK, it only raised the price from £3 per bundle to £30 per bundle.

You can read more about Khat here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khat

10. Hyoscyamus niger

Bureau of Land Management / Via blm.gov

Hyoscyamus niger or Black Henbane as it is commonly known, has had a long history of use in medical elixirs due to its hallucination inducing properties. The seed heads look like a piece of jawbone complete with a row of teeth which may have started the use of this plant as an anesthetic for dentistry back in ancient times. It wouldn't have dulled the pain much, but the hallucinogenic and soporific effects of the plant would certainly have made people forget the toothache.

You can read more about Henbane here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyoscyamus_niger