Economic Drug Plants and the Law

Drug Plants That Can Still Be Used Legally For Incense Or Dyes,

aesthetically for landscaping, as well as other relative information, an overview.

These have been categorized in many different ways, including medicines, some as entheogens, etc so to be clear I'm referring to plants that have been used to alter ones own personal state of consciousness or quality of perception, which tend to have relatively high economic value as well as and or due to other uses the plants may have while certain other drug plants tend to be illegal in one way or another. The history of each plant's cultural usage is a vast and fascinating topic that won't be the main focus here.

The intention is to talk about a range of plant drugs and their legal status's for people who are curious about such things to be able to respect the laws that are in place. While many of these plants are legal, ingesting them is not necessary to appreciate them or benefit in other ways such as economically, creatively, or any other purpose they may hav, and doing so can cross into illegal territory. Some plants are not allowed to be 'possessed', even without any intention to use for psychoactive purposes. Of course this is based on the law in the United States. Initially this can be confusing with so much information on the subject available, though it may seem difficult to find. Here is a summery of what is not allowed, to provide harm reduction information, not to promote the use of any of these plants for psychoactive purposes.

Illegal plants
include Khat, Coca, and Iboga. Even though seeds of these things can be obtained, it is worth noting that Khat and Iboga seeds are more difficult seeds to grow, and Coca will not produce alkaloids as potently if it does not get the normal warm days and cool nights it is used to in tropical mountain areas. There are often seeds in with Coca leaves sold in Peru I remember. Sometimes Coca leaves are sold with the alkaloids removed to be used for flavoring beverages like Coca Cola. That is an example of how the economic value is preserved and the plant is utilized for non drug purposes. Coca itself is not considered a drug of abuse in Peru so much as it is a highly reveared stimulant and altitude sickness remedy, chewing leaves will never produce a ‘high’ and while it is possible to obtain leaves in the United States by some who export it as tea, it is not recommended, especially in bulk as it may be a red flag with customs. Khat (Catha edulus) is known for its use particularly in Somalia where it does not grow, with many locals getting money typically from outside of their country to buy khat also outside of their country in order to reach states which make them want to ‘fight or fuck’. It does not therefore have the best economic value for that country and is completely illegal in the United States. Some extracts with more illegal components removed have been available under the radar, though the substance may be considered illegal under the analog act. Iboga is a medicine which like other paychoactive plant medicines (particularly cactus and ayahuasca) can treat many psychosomatic based illnesses, and is particularly useful for addiction recovery. Iboga is threatened or endangered as the demand is much higher than it’s sustainablly harvested availability as plants must be around 10 years old for best practices.

Some plants that are legal to consume in the right context
whether with religious immunity or some other partial legal status include, Peyote, Ayahuasca, and Marijuana. To my knowledge there are no Iboga or Mushroom churches in the United States, though Mushrooms are being recognized as having medical significance such as the ability to treat migraines and psychosomatic issues such as end of life crisis. Oddly there is a chemical sacrament (DPT, analog of the most abundant psychoactive, DMT) used by a church in New York that does not even come from a botanical source and it has legal immunity to be consumed by its members. Also keep in mind this behavior, though for religious purposes or otherwise, may be frowned upon by certain individuals for various reasons. I might go as far as to say that these ways of exploring the self are not above all other methods, and the mere fact that we're experiencing these complex bodies floating around on a rock in space could excite you beyond any temptation without the need for any "plant teachers". Peyote is also known to be antibiotic, and anyone who goes to a Native American Church ceremony can legally use the sacrament in that context. Santo Diame church is a common way to religiously consume ayahuasca. Harmine in ayahuasca has been shown to regenerate bone mass, facilitate regeneration of beta cells in diabetics, and effectively treat depression, among other things. There is an immense body of knowledge related to the medicinal benefits of marijuana such as for cancer treatment or to prevent damage a stroke could cause, and many more ailments. Hemp is also a valuable economic crop to be utilized.

And then there are the
plants that are perfectly legal to appreciate
when you do not plan on ingesting them. In general with the concept of ingesting a plant for its psychoactive effects there is going to be a concern about legality and harm. Many of these are great plants for making incense with or in gardening. Kratom, and Salvia Divinorum are some that are more ideal for making incense, or so I read. Kratom can also be considered a supplement subject to FDA labeling regulations. The active ingredients of Kratom and Salvia are not illegal, yet they both at least partially effect some opioid receptors without effecting the nucleus accumbens (not habit forming). Kratom has a history of being used as a medicine while Salvia is known as the wanderer to people who would use it ritually when mushrooms aren't in season. It's called the wanderer because they don't know where it came from, so there is really no deep history known with that one. Salvia is a relative of Coleus, which has a reddish purple variety that has even been used to make tattoo dye. Some plants that make great dyes for fabric include Mimosa Hostilis (also used in skin cream) and other Acacia species, Banisteriopsis caapi and some of its relatives, and Syrian Rue - the last two of which actually glow green(yellowish) under a black light when water is added to the crushed vine or seeds as do their concentrated alkaloid extracts. Voacanga can make a die that glows blue with UV light. Passionflower is a beautiful addition to any garden, many with edible fruits and know to have mood elevating harmala alkaloids. Opuntia cactus is another common food plant with varying amounts of DMT, tho that would be broken down my the body’s MAO enzyme unless something like harmalas inhibit the enzyme activity.

San Pedro and other Trichocereus cactus, Hawaian Baby Woodrose Seeds and Rivea corymbosa are a few that are great to grow and appreciate for their aesthetic qualities, as well as Blue Lotus if you have a pond. Many in this category (especially the above dyes) have compounds that are illegal to concentrate or even prepare in any way as this may be indistinguishable from making illegal drugs. These particularly include Poppies, Yopo snuff (Anadananthera sp.) which contains Bufotenin, San Pedro and other Mescaline containing cactus, as well as HBWR Seeds / Rivea corymbosa and Morning Glories for their Lysergic Acid Amides (LSAs) which are analogs of LSD (which also glow under and are destroyed by UV light), and Voacanga africana (used as a dye) one of many plants that contains analogs of ibogaine (of which many are toxic). Poppies are illegal as soon as ripe pods are scraped with the intention of letting that crude opium ooze out to try in the sun for collection, or if pods are boiled as tea, but seeds have been culturally acceptable as food. The controlled substance act is not usually enforced for more obscure plants like many in this category as many people appreciate the plants for landscaping. They may still be considered illegal when in a drug related context, or if tested and found to contain illegal substances (unlikely but quite possible, especially in context or perhaps when packaged or while shipping).

It may be wise to process these dyes or incense in a place where there is no fuzzy legality. Trading plant materials for economic value is allowed, just not in the event that it is being sold as a preparation of an illegal substance. Preparing these plants for economic convenience by grinding it to a powder seems to be legal and allowed by customs, accept they (San Pedro and mimosa for example) have been seized for this reason more recently. Soaking some plants in water to make a dye also creates a 'concoction' which would then be illegal if it was shown to contain any scheduled substance. Dyed clothes or fabrics are not typically considered concoctions or preparations however, and intending to use the plant as a dye has not been specifically made illegal.

Also there are some Nutmeg relatives, Epena snuff made from a Virola sp. that may contain 5-MeO-DMT, (like the Cane Toad) and many more that are almost better left unmentioned such as Datura or things that are just a degree more obscure. It is interesting to note that the Fly Agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) has somewhat opposite pharmacological effects compared to Datura, Cholinergic versus anticholinergic. There has been a hypnotic drug created based on the psychoactive component of Amanita mushrooms. I also once read that if one ate a Death Angel Amanita by accident, the medicines from Datura (alkaloids in the same class as cocaine but with vastly different and fairly undesirable psychoactive effects) are known to keep the organs in the body from being severely damaged. Datura alkaloids also protect against nerve gas and are used to dilate the pupils at the eye doctor. Because tropane containing plants are deliriants there are cases of similar plants being used to take advantage of tourists, getting them to empty their bank accounts at an ATM, and also stories of 'zombification' like in the movie The Serpent And The Rainbow. Though there is a history of indigenous use, the effects of the plant are dangerous involving delirium, dehydration, and even death or other permanent damage.

Perfectly legal to consume
are things like local/mild Ephedra (never smoked), Tobacco and South American Tobacco Snuffs, Betel Nut, Ilex sp. (Yerba Mate), Artemisia absinthium (wormwood), most Oneirogens (dream inducing plants like the bitter Calea), Nutmeg, Kava Kava, Kanna, Acorus Calamus, and Wild Opium Lettuce, and Myrrh. Calamus powder is snuffed in ayurvedic medicine to clear the sinuses. Note the Indian calamus is different from other varieties. Walt Whitman was a fan of Calamus (European calamus). Good as an herbal tea, sort of like a micro dose with pronounced psychotropic effects the closer you get to 14 grams - which isn't so tasty anyway at that concentration, however in the united states the FDA has banned it from food products. Events can be unpredictable and purgative, not to be used while pregnant, and best brewed in a hot flash rather than a long steep to keep it sweet and focused on the aromatic rather than bitter taste/effects. It's a lot like Eucalyptus. The roots are a cure for head lice, among other things.

Plants that are considered aphrodisiacs also fit here. There are even more obscure plant drugs such as one called Piri Piri that is thought to effect the NMDA receptors similar to how other known dissociative anesthetics do (such as ketamine). Sananga is said do be like Piri Piri in that it helps while hunting. Most of the above plants do have significant healing applications traditionally. I won't get into well known (or lesser known) herbal medicines here as I don't think it is a subject of much controversy or confusion.

Now chocolate is an interesting one that you may be surprised to know is under appreciated. Many people reading this will not be aware that a major distributor, Hershey, removes the Theobromine (1/3rd the potency of Caffeine) from it's chocolate products. I'm not sure what they do with it, and I understand the sensibility of removing things like this from products children will eat, yet I feel like in order to really appreciate it the raw fruit experience is essential. Consider traveling to somewhere tropical where these grow if you really like chocolate. You can also buy Macambo beans, a relative of Cocoa, that’s a fruit I have yet to try. I remember spitting out cocoa beans of some random edible jungle fruit I found, not knowing that what I just spit out was everything I knew of chocolate up to that point. I learned to like them raw like that, even different than cocao nibs- purple, yet to dry brown, possibly viable. The closest thing to this white chocolate fruit you will be likely to find in the USA (or outside of the tropics) is Cocoa seeds with dried fruit on them. Sometimes you can find a few fresh pods online but I have not seen the best reviews on those.

In Papua even the kids eat Betel Nut, which effects the GABA receptors similar to the way alcohol does, though alcohol has toxicity of its own. Generally betal nut available in the states is too old and dry to be of much use.

Final notes:

I've studied from various sources, people like Jonathan Ott and Christian Ratsch. They have a greater degree of obscurity, which I don't think is necessary here. The Age of Entheogens, by Jonathan Ott, puts drug plants into historical context, saying that before the 'pharmacratic inquisition', people all over the world were getting regular and significant effects from ingesting many of these plants. Sharia law also bans the use of all intoxicants. Hopefully this clears up some confusion about the general legality of these plants somewhat.