Drugs themselves are crazy enough, but what they’re called can sometimes make them (or at least make them seem) even more insane. Drug producers, dealers and users are increasingly creative in both the manufacturing and naming of drugs.
Die Welt reported last month on the growing concern over the use of crystal methamphetamine, which in Germany is called “Hitler Speed”.
Europe’s Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) recently reported that Europeans are using more and more new synthetic drugs, often with inventive names divided by different countries and languages.
Some of these substances are perfectly legal, some are not. Some you have probably already heard of, but not under that name. Here’s just a sampling of the odd and often dangerous entries in the global lexicon of drugs.
Hitler Speed (Germany)
“Hitler speed” is one of the names used for crystal methamphetamine in Germany, a reference to the fact that soldiers of the Wehrmacht allegedly took it to gain courage on the World War II battlefield.
Benzo Fury (Great Britain)
6-APB is a synthetic stimulant is legal in countries such as the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. Known as ‘Benzo Fury,’ it’s an empathogen, like ecstasy. It was linked to several deaths at music festivals. The danger comes from the fact that this stimulant is qualified as a “research drug,” and therefore not tested by the labs.
Meduna’s Mixture (Hungary)
Carbogen is referred to as Meduna’s mixture, named after Hungarian inventor Ladislas Meduns. It’s actually just oxygen and carbon dioxide mixed together to give you a feeling of suffocation. While it isn’t a very dangerous drug -it used to be given to people to see if they could handle stronger psychotropic drugs- the users tend to see waves of colors and gains a sense of inner peace.
Bath Salts (United States)
Mephedrone, known as bath salts became popular in the UK before even bigger success in the US and Canada in 2010. It can induce paranoia, hallucinations and suicidal behavior among other things. These were legal for the most part until the DEA outlawed its use in 2012.
The Devil’s Breath (Colombia)
Scopolamine, also called the “burundanga“, is still on the market as it treats motion sickness (astronauts tend to use it), and is harmless in small doses. However regular usage can bring on apathy. Colombian scammers are known to use it on their victims who lose their will and leave them exposed to robbery.
Vine of the Dead (Peru)
Ayahuasca is a herbal mixture that is part of a religious, often shamanic, practice cooked from a South American vine. The vine is brewed into a tea with leaves from plants that contain the psychedelic component DMT. It creates hallucinations and makes you question your own identity, according to some testimonies.
Ya Ba – the crazy drug (Thailand)
This derivative of methamphetamine and caffeine produced in Southeast Asia’s Golden triangle, one of the world’s biggest drug production area, was declared a national emergency in Thailand in the early 2000s. Users were found running in the street assaulting bystanders for no reason.
Arabian Tea (Yemen)
Catha edulis, or “Khat,” is a plant most found on the horn of Africa and the Arabian peninsula. It is usually chewed and creates psychological dependence, as well as euphoria, loss of appetite and excitement. It is legal in some Middle Eastern countries and Africa, but not in the Us or Canada anymore.
Krokodil (Russia)
Desomorphine, known as the Krokodil drug, is a cheaper substitute for heroin, very popular in Siberia, for it’s on the path of the heroin traffic produced in Afghanistan. It takes its name from the fact that it eats at the user’s flesh, giving it scale-like appearance which eventually leads to death within a year or two of usage.
