Opium/Other Drug Info I Wish to Know

So, I have characters I need to get drugged, and either act konked out or kooky.

I was going to use opium, but I have no idea how drugs work at all, and the side effects, so if anyone can reccomend a drug that work and the side effects they have, that would be great.

Other info:

• Preferrably an inhaled drug, not swallowed or snorted, and definitely not in pill form, since it's a world without pills and more fantasy anachronism stew
• One that's fairly easy to make, or in great abundance
• One that does not have any (too) deadly effects after prolonged exposure.

Well, here's a low-tech drug you might be able to use.

Khat is an appetite suppressing, chewed narcotic that leaves people feeling a little euphoric, and very chatty, with slightly dissociated thought processes. It's common in Africa, and can be very addictive and expensive.

It makes you hungry for fatty foods, like cream or buttered toast or what-have-you.

Oh and it's just an unprocessed plant as far as I'm aware, can't see there being a problem with abundance.

edited 25th Nov '10 3:21:25 PM by mmysqueeant

the slightly part is where I am uneasy. I need something fairly strong. Strong enough that a person would not be able to put up much of a fight.

I may be under-selling it. It has been compared to ecstasy. Still not very effective in this situation, but it's the absolute most natural drug I can think of.

But yeah, laudanum sounds like your best bet here. Good luck finding someone who's experienced that recently...

edited 25th Nov '10 3:47:25 PM by mmysqueeant

To wikipedia, then. To give you an example of how clueless I am, the comparison to ecstasy means nothing to me.

If it’s fantasy why not just make up a drug?

Then you can give it whatever effects and side effects you want.

Because that's not fun at all. Why make up something when you can use something real?

inhaled? opium? by accident?

you could do that but you would have to fill the room with smoke. opium also smells a lot like incense so you could have the guy knocking them out handwave it as just being incense

I guess he could have a tolerance so he doesn't get messed up to do whatever

but it's not very realistic that they would pass out from second hand.

you need some kind knock out gas, chloroform or something.

opium is cooler than heroin, but heroin can also be smoked

you're best bet is to put something in their drink. some kind of rufy.

...this is for a book right?

peace.

edited 26th Nov '10 12:04:14 AM by wellyea

Natural drugs I know of...

-Opium can be smoked, snorted, inhaled or shot into someone's veins. It's pretty addictive and the effects are dramatic. (Note: I'm using snorted opium -"poppy dust"- in my book as the primary narcotic)

-salvia divinorum is a relative of the mint family that is psychoactive; I can tell you that the effects are VERY pronounced but one has to be trying to get high or not much happens.

-Laudanum is an opiate, but it hasn't been made for years.

-Absinthe's effects have been debated for quite a while now; while I'll admit the drunken state is a little different I don't know if I believe the "psychoactive" crowd just yet.

-there's also khat, which produces amphetamine-like effects when chewed. Never tried it so I can't really comment on what it does exactly, but I've heard its a major problem in Africa.

-Mushrooms! Many, many mushroom species cause psychoactive effects in people; scientists are still discovering new types that have loopy properties.

Also, hallucinogenic substances in general are poorly understood by science; sure, we know what happens but no one really knows exactly why. And those gray areas are a godsend for the would-be writer. Use 'em.

Thanks y'all! :D

And not by accident, just by force.