Peculiar plants and fantastic fungi: An ethnobotanical study of the use of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms in Slovenia

Typology of Users of Psychedelics and Alike Psychoactive Substances in Czechia: Results of the National Online Survey

The aim of this study was to define the typical groups of users of psychedelics and alike psychoactive substances in Czechia regarding various variables such as demographics, their patterns of use, or motivation for use. Data from 890 Czech respondents were collected through an online questionnaire as a part of The National Psychedelic Research Project. Subjects reported experience with the use of 29 selected substances by answering 133 questions of the questionnaire. Cluster analysis based on answers on last year use was performed, and descriptive statistics was used for 18 questions from the questionnaire. Six groups of users were identified with distinguished users and demographic characteristics, namely, The most experienced; Pure smokers; Highly educated mild users; Past-time users with families; Responsible (party) students and Deep meaning natural substance users. Groups differ mainly in the type of substances used, frequency of use last year, and demographics. Our findings highlight several patterns typical for psychedelics and alike psychoactive substances use in Czechia in each of the groups and the need for targeted drug prevention services, the raise of public awareness regarding this topic, and a possible reevaluation of the legal status of some substances. Results can be useful for health-care providers, social workers, and policy-makers.

Pipes and Potions: Testing the Efficacy of European Folk Preparation Methods for Anticholinergic Solanaceae Plants

The present article sought to evaluate the efficiency of various folk preparation methods commonly used in Europe for employing anticholinergic Solanaceae plants. The study aimed to uncover which folk methods were effective for the extraction of the anticholinergic tropane alkaloids of these plants, atropine and scopolamine. The folk extractions that were tested sought to simulate the preparation of teas, cold-water infusions, unguents, tinctures, fortified wines, and smoking. All preparation types and a control were then put through an extraction process to see what amount of the alkaloids had been maintained. These extractions were then analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cold- and hot-water preparations, tinctures, and fortified wines all proved to be effective means of extracting atropine and scopolamine from plant material under conditions seen in folk usage. Smoking and the oil-based unguent, however, yielded no alkaloids, suggesting a lack of efficiency for these preparations, a problem with our methodology, or possible chemical changes and losses associated with the preparation procedure.

Nixing the nightshades: Traditional knowledge of intoxicating members of the Solanaceae among hallucinogenic plant and mushroom users in Slovenia

Anticholinergic plants of the family Solanaceae have a long history of use as medicines, poisons, and recreational drugs. Though they were the intoxicating substances of choice throughout Europe for centuries, their use for these purposes has declined with the globalisation of other recreational drugs. The present study sought to examine the level of knowledge surrounding these plants among individuals who had used other hallucinogenic plants or mushrooms in Slovenia. Participants were questioned in regards to the anticholinergic Solanaceae that are known to grow wild in Slovenia: Atropa belladonna L., Datura stramonium L., Hyoscyamus niger L., and Scopolia carniolica L. As expected, only a small number of individuals had any substantial knowledge of these plants, and fewer still had used them; some were even unfamiliar with any of these plants. Knowledge of toxicity generally arose from family members, while books and the internet played prominent roles in regards to use knowledge. Knowledge of the plants was vastly varied, with many individuals confusing the plants for others, especially other members of the Solanaceae. Ultimately, a small group of individuals had the largest body of knowledge of these plants, though this was linked with university studies rather than traditional uses. Knowledge of the intoxicating Solanaceae has been largely lost in Slovenia among users of other botanical hallucinogens, likely due to the various dangers their use poses and the undesirable effects they often cause.