Jungle Fever: Smoking Paraphernalia & Legal Highs

Although legal highs are widely used, it does not mean that your safety is guaranteed when you use them. Legal highs cannot be sold for human consumption and many outlets state that they are for research or scientific purposes only. This is the only way that the thousands of online suppliers can sell legal highs.

It is important to realise that since many legal highs are designed to mimic illegal drugs and that they can be as strong, if not stronger than the real thing. Therefore many people become ill or suffer undesirable effects, just as they would from illegal drugs. The truly worrying fact about legal highs is that there is very little research carried out on them. As a result, we know almost nothing about their long-term effects on health.

In addition, you may be purchasing a legal high that has components of illegal drugs, unbeknownst to you. This may find you getting into serious trouble if caught with the drug, even though you bought it believing it to entirely be legal. This is a great concern to the UK government and criminal justice department and possibly as soon as autumn 2011, new laws could be introduced banning some currently legal highs altogether.

If you are buying and using legal highs, ensure that you are in familiar surroundings, not mixing them with alcohol and always with people that you regard as friends or whom you trust. Remember that different drugs affect people in varying ways. It is also worth noting that using devices such as the Iolite can prevent you breathing in noxious gases when inhaling vaporised drugs.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of websites selling legal highs in the UK. Many of them have information and advice ranging from what substance is the most popular to guidance for newcomers to the legal high scene.

The more reputable websites will provide information on each product, including dosage, what to expect, the type of drug and also what other drugs are similar. This is a good place to start if you are looking to try a legal high for the first time; these sites also sell all the equipment you need to get started.

You may find that companies that have set up websites also visit festivals and large public gatherings on a regular basis. They know that a large proportion of their customer base will be at such events and everything they are selling is completely legal. Examples include Herbal Highs.com, Shivaheadshop.com and The Coffeesh0p.

Many websites post to UK and overseas addresses and often advertise that your purchase will be wrapped and delivered discretely. Even though your legal substances are not breaking any laws, some members of the public still have a certain attitude towards those who buy such products and the suppliers know that providing inconspicuous packaging will encourage people to buy.

These sites also sell devices such as Rizla rolling machines and Snuff bullet blizzards, along with a wide range of accessories and other paraphernalia.

Whenever you order legal substances from websites please ensure that you know precisely what you are buying; the effects and side effects of the drug and also that it is a reputable site selling exactly what it is advertising.

Legal highs are not just used in the UK by people trying to have a good time. There are many significant and cultural reasons for certain substances being used throughout the world.

The Mugwort, which grows as a weed in the UK and in other temperate countries, is also known as Chrysanthemum weed, Old Uncle Henry and Sailor’s Tobacco. It has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes, insect repellents and as a legal high.

These plants were used to remove parasitic worms from people’s intestines and stomachs, to abort pregnancies and as treatment for heart problems. The plant holds psychoactive properties called “Thujones” and is used today as a smokeable legal high.

In Medieval times the Mugwort plant was used in witchcraft, thanks to its mind altering properties and also because it was perceived to be lucky. Even today some people believe it helps to enhance dreams and the ability to control the dreaming, even when it is simply laid beside the sleeping person.

Another herbal high that is commonly used in traditional cultural rituals is the Ayahuasca infusion. It is taken from a vine and mixed with leaves from the jungles of the Amazon. This is used by the indigenous people of the region for a variety of purposes and has been for many generations. Uses include, rituals of prophecy and divination, healing and cleansing and for many other little known sacred purposes.

Roor pipes and other devices are examples of modern takes on the cultural bongs and water pipes that many tribes used in the past. They are available online and in specialist shops.

Silver Bullet is a legal high that mimics the effects of the active ingredient in ecstasy MDMA, leaving the user feeling euphoric, aroused and full of energy.  Effects after taking this drug can last between six and eight hours, and owing to its stimulant effect, users experience a decreased appetite and sleeplessness, which can result in something resembling a hangover that can last up to 24 hours.  More detrimental effects can include agitation, paranoia, vomiting and increased or irregular heart rate.  It was originally marketed as an anti-depressant, but is now known recreationally as ‘legal ecstasy.’

Silver Bullets may contain a chemical compound which is similar to those of the benzylpiperazine family (BZP.)  BZPs have now been reclassified as Class C controlled drugs, which are illegal if a person is found in possession of them.  If users are found in possession of Silver Bullets they could be arrested if the drugs contain any BZPs that are Class C drugs.  There have been no extensive studies undertaken on the long or short term effects of Silver Bullets, but there is some evidence to suggest that dependency can develop. 

Silver Bullets usually come in an array of different capsules and tablets, which can be imprinted with all sorts of symbols, and they are also available in a powder form.  Users can administer the drug either by swallowing the capsules with a liquid or snorting the powder up the nose using a snuff bullet.

Like Salvia, Wild Dagga is a member of the mint family of plants, but unlike it’s cousin it is less hallucinogenic and is said to give a more euphoric and exuberant high when smoked, or aid you to a hypnotic focus when drunk as tea.

Traditionally, Leonotis Leonurus was used by African tribesmen as a medicine, and when consumed as a tea is believed to aid sufferers of fevers, headaches, dysentery, flu, chest infections, epilepsy, constipation, delayed menstruation, intestinal worms, spider bites, hypertension, and snake bites. Research shows that its use can be beneficial for sufferers of depression and anxiety, due to its calming effects as it helps regulate dopamine in the brain. Leonotis Leonurus has also been known to have been used externally to treat skin ailments like boils, eczema and itching.

The effects of Wild Dagga are said to be similar to that of cannabis, but whereas cannabis is illegal in the United Kingdom, Wild Dagga is not. Effects felt when smoked could include mild euphoria, visual changes, dizziness, nausea, sweating, sedation, and light-headedness. Users of this subtropical plant have reported that the taste can be unpleasant and it can irritate the throat and lungs.

To administer Wild Dagga, either soak in boiling water to produce a tea, or smoke by rolling the dried leaves into a cigarette.  If you do not have the dexterity to your fingers, make use of the trusty Rizla rolling machine or a Sherlock Holmes pipe.

Yopo seeds are a legal high that have been used by Brazilian Indians in shamanistic rituals for thousands of years.  They are sold in seed form, and in order to use them, two to three seeds need to be cooked until they pop.  The outer shells are removed as they do not grind well, and the rest are then ground into a fine powder snuff, mixed with a quarter ash or edible lime, and then snorted up through the nose, which can be administered through a snuff bullet.  Amer-Indians tend to use blow pipes to administer the drug. Yopo seeds can also be smoked in smoking pipes.

The effects of yopo seeds are similar to that of cebil seeds, in that they produce a strong intoxicating head rush, which is like a combination of salvia and shots of pure alcohol.  Yopo seeds produce mild hallucinogenic effects like cebil.  However, the difference between the two seeds is that yopo produces a more powerful head rush kick and less visuals. These effects can last for up to one hour. 

Yopo seeds contain bufotenine and 5meo DMT.  Both of these substances are classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act and are Class A drugs.  The possession of yopo seeds for illicit use may also be illegal.  Due to the classification of these drugs, there have been no research trials undertaken on the short or long term effects of yopo, however, as with most hallucinogens, these are not usually advised for people with mental health problems.

Eric 3 and Diablo are legal highs that act as stimulants which produce similar effects to that of amphetamine or speed.  Stimulants make you chatty, feel alert, euphoric and full of energy.  However, side effects are also known to make the user feel paranoia, agitation, and can create a psychotic state.  Physiological risks include over stimulation of the heart and circulation, and overheating of the body.

Legal highs are substances which produce similar effects to drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine, but are structurally different enough chemically, to avoid being classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act.  It is illegal for these products to be branded, sold or supplied as fit for human consumption, which is why many of these products are marketed as research chemicals, bath crystals, or plant food.

Eric 3 and Diablo come in either capsules or powder and can be administered either by swallowing, in the case of capsules, or by snorting up the nose in powder form.  In powder form, it can also be taken using a snuff bullet blizzard.

There have been no clinical studies on the effects of Diablo or Eric 3, so the long term effects of use are not known.  Users are reminded that just because a drug is legal does not mean it is necessarily safe to use.  Additionally, this drug particularly looks similar to illegal drugs, and if found in possession by the police, they are entitled to detain the user for testing and questioning.

Nature is the world’s greatest pharmacy, as it provides a number of herbs and plants for treating almost any malady.  There are many herbs and plants that can be smoked, either for enjoyment or to calm the nerves and eliminate anxiety.  Some legal high herb mixes are enjoyable while having healing properties.

As you smoke any legal herb mixture, be sure to keep an ashtray nearby to eliminate mess and the risk of fire.  Novelty ashtrays can even make the smoking experience more enjoyable.  If the herbs you are smoking have a hallucinogenic effect, the colours and decorations of novelty ashtrays can make you laugh.

Mullein, also known as Verbascum Thapsus, is a very useful herb.  It is a good base for any herb mixture you may want to smoke, as it is similar to tobacco.  However, it is also used to treat cough, earaches, eczema, and many other minor ailments.  When it is smoked, it has psychoactive properties and can create a very exciting high.

Mexican Haze is an herb and plant mixture that has been widely used in Mexico for its healing and spiritual properties.  It contains many different herbs and plants, although chacruna, salvia, and kratom make up the majority of the mixture.  When it is smoked, Mexican Haze can have a hallucinogenic effect that some users say causes a spiritual experience.  Some users use Mexican Haze in a hookah or water pipe rather than rolled into a cone or blunt.

Life can be pretty stressful, with family, work, and school all placing obligations on people.  There are legal drugs that help people relax and unwind from the stresses of life.

Kanna powder is a plant that can be used as a mood enhancer.  When ingested or made into a tea, kanna can make you feel more confident and lift your spirits after a hard day.  In larger doses, kanna powder can cause a euphoric sensation.  It had a sedative effect in smaller doses, so it can help some people sleep.  This can also be used as snuff and stored in a snuff bullet

Damiana herb is another great herbal mix for people who want to reduce anxiety and tension.  Its effects are similar to marijuana.  It helps to combat a bad mood and apathy in addition to causing a relaxed, tranquil feeling.  Damiana herb is best when smoked; be sure to keep ashtrays nearby to safely dispose of ashes if you smoke damiana herb.

Another type of smoking mix that can be used for a high, euphoric sensation is Dutch Haze.  It is a combination of different herbs that cause relaxation and calmness in smokers.  It can be smoked in a bong or rolled into a cigarette for best results.

These legal herbs and plants are a good way for people to minimise stress and anxiety.  With few or no negative side effects, they are a good alternative to pharmaceutical drugs.

Lotus flowers, in all their variants, are a great legal high.  The pink lotus flower has been used as a drug for thousands of years.

Pink lotus can be used for a completely legal, herbal high.  Known as the sacred pink lotus, its Latin name is Nelumbo Nucifera.  The petals of the flower are the most potent part, so are often used on their own for a high.  There are several ways of enjoying the pink lotus.  It can be steeped in tea or wine, smoked, or vaporized.  A rolling machine Rizla can make it easier to smoke the pink lotus.

There are two main effects that come with getting high off of pink lotus flowers.  The flowers can have a sedative affect; so many people use them to help with better, deeper sleep.  The sedative effect of the pink lotus flower also means that it can reduce anxiety and stress.  Smoking pink lotus flowers for longer amounts of time or in greater amounts has a euphoric effect.  Those who use pink lotus will experience a pleasurable feeling that permeates the mind and body.

To experience a high from pink lotus flowers, they have to be altered.  They can be soaked in wine, which causes a stronger tranquilizing or euphoric effect.  The petals can be boiled in water to create tea.  To smoke this flower, the petals have to be dried, crushed, and rolled into cigarettes with a rolling machine.