Do you remember, back when the U.S. Marines were deployed in Somalia (as in Black Hawk Down), we heard stories on the news about the use of a drug in Somalia called khat, a leafy plant that is chewed.
Well, for some reason, my unconscious mind decided to make that the basis of a terrible dream last night.
<dream>
Apparently some marines, or other persons deployed to Somalia, had brought back with them khat plants to the U.S.
Then, someone figured out a way to isolate and purify the active ingredient, a powerful narcotic which in its natural state is extremely dilute.
Addiction is becoming epidemic. The use of this drug is accelerating so rapidly that the legislative bodies have not had time to outlaw it.
This drug is distributed and consumed in the form of a clear, colorless syrup. It is administered orally. It is not swallowed, but is held in the mouth, to be absorbed through the mucus membranes.
The user can take one or two spoons of the syrup himself, but then quickly enters a stupor. After that, someone else administers the drug, dripping it (like honey) into the user's mouth. After just a few more spoonsful of this stuff, the addict begins to sieze. Scenes of this drug use (parties) have several people with mouths agape, clear syrup running down their chins onto their clothes, convulsing and unable to sit upright.
And yet, there appear to be (so far) no lasting detrimental effects. No known instances of death amongst the addicted population, no cases of someone emerging from their stupor with half their previous I.Q. And everyone insists that the drug produces very pleasurable feelings in the mind, and they all want to do it again, despite the rather unpleasant appearance of its consumption to others. Physical addiction is instantaneous, and psychological addition almost so.
</dream>
Horrible, just horrible.
