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Re:Brain Enhancement Is Wrong, Right? by robg on Sunday March 09, 2008 @07:44PM (#132802)
I once had a Carribean taxi driver tell me that marijuana is the only drug (there are some he probably hasn't tried) that you don't have to process or change in any way. You can ingest it directly from the ground for the same effects. Try that with caffeine, chocolate, tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, etc. And of course, the psychotropics that "enhance" takes that processing to a whole new level.
Re:Brain Enhancement Is Wrong, Right? by kingnothing on Monday March 10, 2008 @03:04AM (#133008)
Heroin is processed opium. Opium comes from poppy seeds, and the processing for that is minimal.

Cocaine is made from the coca plant; the leaves of which can be chewed raw for a similar, but markedly weaker, effect.

I doubt tobacco has to be processed to be smoked.

Psilocybin mushrooms require no processing.

Peyote requires no processing.

Alcohol be found naturally from rotting, fermented fruit fallen from trees. There's a video on Youtube of animals getting drunk from eating it.

I'm sure there are several other plants that will get you high that I'm unaware of. Just thought I'd throw a little knowledge out there for anyone who might be interested.

Re:Brain Enhancement Is Wrong, Right? by robg on Monday March 10, 2008 @08:28AM (#133092)
I didn't say he was right! But it is an interesting observation, to me, because he's mostly right, based on quantities.

Good luck collecting enough poppy seeds. Same deal on the coca leaves, but try eating a mouthful. Same deal there on tobacco. The same logic applies to caffeine, chocolate, and alcohol. The drug is extremely weak in it's natural form so it requires a decent amount of work to get something really psychoactive.

To him, you can simply pull a marijuana bud off a plant, like an apple from a tree, and eat it for the full effect. That's quite a contrast.

Psilocybin and peyote apply but I don't think he's ever had the opportunity, especially since they don't grow like a weed.

His point: Nature has done a pretty remarkable job providing for our physical and mental health. Why muck with that?

Re:Brain Enhancement Is Wrong, Right? by delackner on Wednesday March 12, 2008 @05:55AM (#135036)
Actually plain Coca leaves have been chewed for (insert very long time frame) by people in its native areas for a variety of medicinal and performance enhancing effects.
Re:Brain Enhancement Is Wrong, Right? by rms on Monday March 10, 2008 @03:14AM (#133014)
don't forget about kratom! ;)