intoxication
May 11, 2007 11:32 PM Subscribe
Unusual ways of getting high: deliberately being bitten on the tongue by a cobra; injecting spider venom.
You'd assume most people attempting either will end up far 'higher' than they'd ever bargained to be.
posted by Firas at 11:37 PM on May 11, 2007
posted by Firas at 11:37 PM on May 11, 2007
Wow. So why get the snakebite on the tongue? Does it make somehow more psychoactive and/or less dangerous?
posted by treepour at 11:43 PM on May 11, 2007
posted by treepour at 11:43 PM on May 11, 2007
"It just shows how comfortable they are"?!? This must be a new meaning of the word "comfortable" with which I was previously unfamiliar.
Next: Concentration camp inmates eat stones to stave off hunger pangs. "It just shows how well-fed they are," says guard.
posted by hattifattener at 11:49 PM on May 11, 2007
Next: Concentration camp inmates eat stones to stave off hunger pangs. "It just shows how well-fed they are," says guard.
posted by hattifattener at 11:49 PM on May 11, 2007
Would totally get snakebit on tongue again. Injecting spider venom: meh.
posted by taosbat at 11:50 PM on May 11, 2007
posted by taosbat at 11:50 PM on May 11, 2007
In the 1970's I'd heard about snake-dens in Calcutta's Chinatown from a local who lived in Calcutta. The way it worked was that a person would go to a rooftop snake-den, lie down on a charpoi bed. A bamboo pipe would be brought by the snake-den operator and the person would put their tongue into the bamboo. Maybe this is because the veins in the tongue would take the toxin more directly into the bloodstream for a more intense effect?
The snake would be inserted into one end of the bamboo and bite the person's tongue at the other end. The high would usually last for a day or two. Presumably, the snake-den operator would find out which snake bites produced a high, rather than death.
The first link of this post is the only substantiation I've ever found on the web regarding this snake-bite intoxication subculture. But it seems that others in Australia have also found a near-lethal high on spider venom.
posted by nickyskye at 12:03 AM on May 12, 2007
The snake would be inserted into one end of the bamboo and bite the person's tongue at the other end. The high would usually last for a day or two. Presumably, the snake-den operator would find out which snake bites produced a high, rather than death.
The first link of this post is the only substantiation I've ever found on the web regarding this snake-bite intoxication subculture. But it seems that others in Australia have also found a near-lethal high on spider venom.
posted by nickyskye at 12:03 AM on May 12, 2007
My sophomore year in high school during a dry spell we smoked goldfish food. And toothpaste. Doesn't compare.
posted by vito90 at 12:04 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by vito90 at 12:04 AM on May 12, 2007
This is why opium needs to be legalized.
posted by IronLizard at 12:23 AM on May 12, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by IronLizard at 12:23 AM on May 12, 2007 [1 favorite]
I don't doubt that bored prisoners would be capable of many things but I realllllly think the redback spider story is bullshit. It was widely reported for a day or 3 and then disappeared.
posted by peacay at 12:38 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by peacay at 12:38 AM on May 12, 2007
If you can't shoot spiderwebs out of your wrists after injecting spider venom, then what good is injecting spider venom?
posted by RobbieFal at 12:51 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by RobbieFal at 12:51 AM on May 12, 2007
Why does it totally not surprise me that Australians are the one practicing purposeful spider-venom injection?
posted by po at 12:54 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by po at 12:54 AM on May 12, 2007
Because we also do things like boil up poisonous cane toads & drink the tea that results. It's quite hallucinogenic, apparently.
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:07 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:07 AM on May 12, 2007
Is this as good as smoking peanut skins?
vito90, I suspect we knew the same people in highschool.
posted by lekvar at 1:48 AM on May 12, 2007
vito90, I suspect we knew the same people in highschool.
posted by lekvar at 1:48 AM on May 12, 2007
Nothing compares to smoking banana peels. I'm still high.
posted by stavrogin at 2:24 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by stavrogin at 2:24 AM on May 12, 2007
Brings to mind the old cliche about reformed junkies getting into extreme sports (see: Jack Osbourne)... they've just mixed the two together.
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:56 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:56 AM on May 12, 2007
Snakebit venom high makes nude skydive surf skiing so much more fun. WHOOO! MOUNTAIN DEW!
posted by DenOfSizer at 3:23 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by DenOfSizer at 3:23 AM on May 12, 2007
I'm authoring live on the Internets under the influence of spider venom. I'm disappointed - turns out it's a fairly benign stimulant. Oh well, back to the toad for me.
posted by porn in the woods at 7:57 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by porn in the woods at 7:57 AM on May 12, 2007
Nothing compares to smoking banana peels.
Hel-lo? Morning glory seeds?
posted by scody at 9:39 AM on May 12, 2007
Hel-lo? Morning glory seeds?
posted by scody at 9:39 AM on May 12, 2007
So why get the snakebite on the tongue?
From the first article:
"Initially he used to take snake bite on great toe once in a week, the frequency was then increased to two-three times a week... The bite on tongue produced quick effect."
posted by dozo at 10:47 AM on May 12, 2007
From the first article:
"Initially he used to take snake bite on great toe once in a week, the frequency was then increased to two-three times a week... The bite on tongue produced quick effect."
posted by dozo at 10:47 AM on May 12, 2007
In Chuck Palahniuk's new book Rant, the main character purposely gets bitten by spiders and snakes to get high. When I first read it I thought it was a bit of a weak plot point, but just goes to show some stuff you can't make up.
posted by Captain_Science at 11:45 AM on May 12, 2007
posted by Captain_Science at 11:45 AM on May 12, 2007
I guess with age comes conservatism. I'll give this board one thing---I learn a lot stuff that I never would read on my own.
posted by Roger Davis at 12:26 PM on May 12, 2007
posted by Roger Davis at 12:26 PM on May 12, 2007
Anything that scares the shit out of you can get you "high" -- on your own stress response, that is.
Whether either of these have an actual pharmacological effect that produces what people ordinarily recognize as a "high" is not known, but somewhat unlikely.
Morning glory seeds have an actual psychedelic effect if taken in high enough doses; smoked banana peels not so much.
posted by Maias at 2:58 PM on May 12, 2007
Aha! So it's that cobra around the neck that's blissing Shiva out.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:18 PM on May 12, 2007
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:18 PM on May 12, 2007
I didn't think anything could be grosser than the taste of peyote. Guess I was wrong about that. Spiders and snakes? Just say no!
posted by madamjujujive at 4:49 PM on May 12, 2007
posted by madamjujujive at 4:49 PM on May 12, 2007
Chuck Palahniuk refers to being envenomated in his new book, Rant, getting bitten by black widow spiders for the priapic effect of their venom. The venom of the Brazilian wandering spider, Phoneutria nigriventer, Tx2-6, may, in fact, be used to treat male impotence.
flapjax, That article in the first link mentions that "The people who come here for snake bites, are mainly from higher socio-economic class and are of certain religious groups. There are at least two to three people doing this business in that area."
Because the cobra is associated with Shiva, I think it's Shaivites (devotees of Shiva) who would be the ones to seek out being bitten by a snake as part of their religious, presumably tantric (transformation), practice.
Not sure exactly what the cobra represents in the Hindu tradition but in part the cobra represents kundalini shakti, one's power/lifeforce/energy. Here it says: "that Shiva is beyond the powers of death and is often the sole support in case of distress. He swallowed the poison kalketu for the wellbeing of the Universe. The deadly cobra represents that “death” aspect that Shiva has thoroughly conquered. The cobras around his neck also represent the dormant energy, called Kundalini, the serpent power. The snake curled three times around the neck of Lord Shiva depicts the past, present and future time."
Shiva is also associated with intoxication, with an emphasis on the transformation of the toxic into the sublime.
posted by nickyskye at 4:58 PM on May 12, 2007
flapjax, That article in the first link mentions that "The people who come here for snake bites, are mainly from higher socio-economic class and are of certain religious groups. There are at least two to three people doing this business in that area."
Because the cobra is associated with Shiva, I think it's Shaivites (devotees of Shiva) who would be the ones to seek out being bitten by a snake as part of their religious, presumably tantric (transformation), practice.
Not sure exactly what the cobra represents in the Hindu tradition but in part the cobra represents kundalini shakti, one's power/lifeforce/energy. Here it says: "that Shiva is beyond the powers of death and is often the sole support in case of distress. He swallowed the poison kalketu for the wellbeing of the Universe. The deadly cobra represents that “death” aspect that Shiva has thoroughly conquered. The cobras around his neck also represent the dormant energy, called Kundalini, the serpent power. The snake curled three times around the neck of Lord Shiva depicts the past, present and future time."
Shiva is also associated with intoxication, with an emphasis on the transformation of the toxic into the sublime.
posted by nickyskye at 4:58 PM on May 12, 2007
Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty prefer more orthodox intoxicants.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 5:22 AM on May 13, 2007
posted by PeterMcDermott at 5:22 AM on May 13, 2007
Peter, there aren't a whole hell of a lot of folks here on MeFi who'd link to a tune by ol' Conway and Loretta, and I'd like to take this opportunity to let you know that I appreciate it.
But what's with that wacky video? Man, that's... that's... damn, that's some kind of avant garde. Or something.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:34 AM on May 13, 2007
But what's with that wacky video? Man, that's... that's... damn, that's some kind of avant garde. Or something.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:34 AM on May 13, 2007
mad-j-jive--
Certain psilosybics taste funky to me as well!
I have a solution:
Feed peyote to chicken.
Feed chicken to spider.
Inject spider venom.
See God.
Win-win!
posted by Dizzy at 6:31 AM on May 13, 2007
Certain psilosybics taste funky to me as well!
I have a solution:
Feed peyote to chicken.
Feed chicken to spider.
Inject spider venom.
See God.
Win-win!
posted by Dizzy at 6:31 AM on May 13, 2007
I don't know, dizzy - this video shows compelling evidence proving that spiders and drugs don't mix. Maybe we should just make some peyote croquettes with the chicken.
posted by madamjujujive at 6:56 AM on May 13, 2007
posted by madamjujujive at 6:56 AM on May 13, 2007
Dizzy:
I have a solution:
Feed peyote to chicken.
Feed chicken to spider.
Inject spider venom.
A kind of psychedelic Turducken, so to speak?
Flapjax:
Yeah, that's some wacky ass video. My guess is that the producer was under the effects of some kind of spider or snake venom when they made it.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 8:13 AM on May 13, 2007
I have a solution:
Feed peyote to chicken.
Feed chicken to spider.
Inject spider venom.
A kind of psychedelic Turducken, so to speak?
Flapjax:
Yeah, that's some wacky ass video. My guess is that the producer was under the effects of some kind of spider or snake venom when they made it.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 8:13 AM on May 13, 2007
Dosed chicken.
But my chicken is on the ceiling.
Won't let spider get within 20 feet.
Spider barking; wants blood.
Should I take spider to MacDonald's?; have coupons.
I'm using Safari, it it helps.
Advice?
posted by Dizzy at 2:24 PM on May 13, 2007
But my chicken is on the ceiling.
Won't let spider get within 20 feet.
Spider barking; wants blood.
Should I take spider to MacDonald's?; have coupons.
I'm using Safari, it it helps.
Advice?
posted by Dizzy at 2:24 PM on May 13, 2007
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posted by gnutron at 11:36 PM on May 11, 2007