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Why were poppers (Amyl Nitrate) and Ether big in the 60s & 70s but no longer are?

Mycophile

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I don't know if it's really true that Amyl Nitrate (poppers) and Ether were big in the 60s or 70s but they seem to have been more popular then than now and I was wondering why?

I was also wondering about other drugs that used to be big in the 60s and 70s like barbiturates like Reds (Seconal), Yellows (Nembutal I think?) etc.

Unlike Quaaludes, these drugs still exist but I've never heard of anyone taking them.

I wonder where people even get/got stuff like Ether or Amyls (NOT looking for sources).

I mean, obviously they needed prescriptions, but they'd still require prescriptions now so why do we not here of people using them frequently?

Has anyone on here ever taken Ether, Amyls, Seconal or Nembutal and what were your experiences like?

Ever since watching Fear and Loathing I've been curious about trying Ether and Amyls but I don't know how safe they are and wouldn't have access anyway.

Edit: On a slightly different note, I also wonder about other drugs that were popular during other eras that have not only fallen out of popularity but seem to have dropped off the face of the earth.

Like Mickey Finn's (Chloral Hydrate) was used recreationally in the early 1900s and I dont know if anyone uses it anymore.

Also, Laudanum tinctures of Opium were really popular in the early 1900s and I wonder how they were made and if anyone knows of anyone who has tried to make them?

Of course, Absinthe was also big, and I've always wanted to try authentic absinthe but I think it's only legal in Switzerland and maybe Spain.
 
These drugs are not used anymore because they have been replaced with newer and much safer alternatives. Barbiturates are replaced with benzodiazepines and ether was probably replaced by sevoflurane. Though I have no idea where people got access to ether use for recreation back then, maybe it was just sold at pharmacies without any restrictions?

I have tried both ether and amyl nitrite and I am not a big fan of either of them to be honest. The ether high feels like nitrous oxide but it is more disorienting and less pleasant in my opinion. It also lasts longer and will make you smell like a wandering meth lab for hours afterwards. Amyl nitrite gives a warm, heartpounding and in my opinion unpleasant rush that makes you dizzy. I did not enjoy it at all, tried it once and then tried it again later and the same thing happened. The opinion about it was very mixed among my friends. They seemed to either love it or hate it.
 
They have cyclohexyl nitrite instead of amyl nitrite sold as video head cleaner or room odorizer still widely available on the net.

Barbiturates are so easy to OD on that you now only get small doses cut with APAP for some headaches or something.

Mickey Finn also had antimony or some other poison to make you vomit I believe. Benzodiazepines replaced both of these. Modern anaesthetics replaced shit like ether long ago but some simple extraction can be done on some automotive product to get it. I can't remember but it may have been keyhole de-icer.

Poppy pod tea is essentially laudanum, is has the exact same contents.
 
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I've only tried ether once and it wasn't bad, an alcohol like intoxication that lasts a few minutes at leaves you a bit spacey for for 10 minutes.
IDK why they where popular, probably because they were around so people did them. maybe in the future pople will ask themselves why we did drugs that cause so many side effects and there will be stims with no comedown and opiates-like drugs with no WDs... wishful thinking i guess lol
 
I tried amyl nitrate one time. An Australian tourist offered me one while I was on vacation. It was probably one of the most intense and unpleasant drug experiences of my entire life, even though it only lasted...what, a couple of minutes or so? It felt like all the blood in my body blasted up into my brain. Definitely wouldn't do it again.
 
No one here has used amyl nitrate which is probably a medium strength high explosive.

Amyl nitrite isn't used because it sucks. It just makes blood rush everywhere, it's a vasodilator. Good if you're having angina or a heart attack, no bueno if you're trying to get high.

Ether isn't popular because it makes you smell terrible and gives you flammable breath.
 
Hammilton, You are thinking of the nitroglycerin. Amyl nitrite may be flammable but it is not explosive. Apparently they can both be used to treat angina.

I believe amyl nitrite is the antidote for cyanide poisoning as well.

You are supposed to take a breath of it while high on coke, MDMA or speed for orgasmic effects.

It is apparently also good at loosening the anus and vagina for massive insertions, lol.
 
Could be wrong but I thought Amly Nitrate was still widely available in Porn Shops (aka Poppers) since many used it to loosen certain muscles during sex also? Always wanted to try it to kinda... Also wanted to try the ones from the 70's like Seconal, Tunanol, Qualudes..I've always wondered why there never was a black market for these drugs after they stopped being prescribed? I know there is Mandrex is South Africa or whatever..But say opiates that are widely popular now are someday stopped being prescribed or become even harder to get, do you think there would be a black market for them?? Or would they just dissapear??
 
I don't do poppers now, because I'm not 14....but the best way to do them is to stick a cig in the solution and toke the cig without it lit. Much cleaner high than sniffing the fumes.
 
Hammilton, You are thinking of the nitroglycerin. Amyl nitrite may be flammable but it is not explosive. Apparently they can both be used to treat angina.

I believe amyl nitrite is the antidote for cyanide poisoning as well.

You are supposed to take a breath of it while high on coke, MDMA or speed for orgasmic effects.

It is apparently also good at loosening the anus and vagina for massive insertions, lol.

Notice he used nitrate, not nitrite when mentioning explosives. :P

Nitrate = NO3-, whereas Nitrite = NO2-.

@OP, I've tried a nitrite before, was either isopropyl or isobutyl nitrite. Can't remember which. It wasn't an enjoyable experience, but I tried it a few times (I got given a full bottle for free so I thought why not?). Was pretty uncomfortable, face went extremely red and warm and you got a kind of floaty rush but it wasn't enjoyable.
 
I've tried amyl and akyl nitrate before, neither are particularly great, but i took amyl nitrate on acid once and it was phenomenal.

I'm not particularly sure why they're not popular today, probably because we have a lot more drugs now than we did back then, and better ones too
 
Also, Laudanum tinctures of Opium were really popular in the early 1900s and I wonder how they were made and if anyone knows of anyone who has tried to make them?

Of course, Absinthe was also big, and I've always wanted to try authentic absinthe but I think it's only legal in Switzerland and maybe Spain.

i guess they just soaked grinded poppy pods in alcohol? where i live paregoric is available otc btw, it's good enough to catch a buzz if you don't have tolerance

and what do you mean by authentic absinthe? i always thought that all that green fairy stuff was bullshit and in the end absinthe was just another drink, only with a whole lot of alcohol. i read a bit about thujone now and it doesn't seem much psychedelic, GABA-A and 5-HT3 antagonist. even if its still only alcohol, it can be fun. i remember when i was like 15 and my friend brought this 50% alcohol absinthe (Pere Kermann's or smth i guess is the name of the brand) and we took a sip everytime the teacher started writing on the board. i got very drunk that day. despite having a high alcohol content i swear this absinthe tastes better than vodka. in fact i drank it this weekend and it did go down better than vodka. you should try it. and another time me and a buddy bought a bottle of this 89,9% alcohol absinthe (Hapsburg was the brand). holy shit that thing burned so bad, we left it in the freezer for some hours then drank it and it still felt like it was hot in your mouth, so yeah, alcohol burns.
 
In the UK Amol Nitrate was big at the Rave scene poeple would just pass that shit around and while on Es and Whizz it was fucking great. That was one of the great things about the Rave scene having a complete stranger coming up to you and offing you huff of Amol Nitrate. The ninety's was a fantastic Decade
 
Why were some drugs popular back then?

Maybe because they were just available. I guess in 10 years people gona ask the same questions about all the rc´s. People tend to do a lot things when they are young and afterwards glamourize their youth.
I know some people who where using back in the days, when mandrax and barbiturates were available, and are still using downers. Never heard them complaining about how much they miss these class of drugs. They just take "modern" drugs like benzos and are happy.

In my opininon its alot about the myth. Some decade ago absinthe was decriminalized in germany. Everybody was drinking it because it was so cool. Nowadys its not more that popular because people realized that its just another alcoholic beverage that makes people drunk. There is nothing special about this stuff.
Like poppers, its not a "real drug". As mentioned before, in the 90´s they were popular in the rave scene. But it was just a "hey i got some, do you want some" thing. Poppers are still legaly available in alot of countries, but they are not popular anymore. Probably because its one of the shittiest drugs on earth.
Thinking about it, I still have no clue why they were popular. Maybe they are nice if you want to put things in your rectum. As a recreational drug i dont see anything good about them. They were popular, but just because they were popular at some point it doesnt mean that they are desirable.
 
Really wish Quaaludes were still around. I have read several experience reports from back in the day and it sounds intersesting. Apparently bootleg methaqulaone is synthesized in Colombia and smuggled into the states through Florida, but I have yet to ever hear of anyone having seen the stuff. Apparently it contains a lot of adulterants, including other depressants such as diazepam. If I could get pure ether I'd probably go on a little binge. Unlike most other inhalants which I will not touch. Ether and Nitrous oxide are it after my messed up Freon huffing days years ago. I do not recommend starter fluid at all as the water separation method does NOT get rid of the dangerous hydrocarbons as some people claim and you could end up seriously messing yourself up. @rujex: actually, just because the commercial absinthe doesn't do anything other than alcohol doesn't mean it's a myth. Wormwood is a real psychoactive plant and if you make your own absinthe or take wormwood extract(I think you can smoke it too) it works. Thujone is the primary psychoactive component in wormwood. Oh, and back on the Quaalude subject, apparently they are still legal to prescribe in Canada and some other countries.
 
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Lots of sex shops around hear sell amyl nitrites. I tried isobutyl nitrite, and it gave a minor rush that was accompanied by a feeling like my head was being squeezed and it gave me a headache. I would not recommend it.

I've tried chloral hydrate. It gave me a mild alcohol-like buzz, but with more mental clarity. It's worth trying if you can get your hands on it. Here in Canada, it isn't a scheduled drug, so you can order it from chemical supply companies.

I've also tried legitimate absinthe with thujone, but the effect was not significantly different from regular alcohol.
 
Modern anaesthetics replaced shit like ether long ago but some simple extraction can be done on some automotive product to get it. I can't remember but it may have been keyhole de-icer.

I believe that is a myth. I've read about this simple extraction (something involving water) and it just didn't make any sense at all. Or well, it's not a myth but the way I find people doing it on the 'net (and also when we were kids) is insufficient most of the time.
 
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myco said:
Like Mickey Finn's (Chloral Hydrate) was used recreationally in the early 1900s and I dont know if anyone uses it anymore.
It's still around. I quite liked it, but the questionable safety profile and rapid tolerance build-up meant that Chloral Hydrate was a novelty, but not something I'd want to take with any regularity.
myco said:
Also, Laudanum tinctures of Opium were really popular in the early 1900s and I wonder how they were made and if anyone knows of anyone who has tried to make them?
I've seen this online, and i used poppies for years.
Problem is, they're really addictive, so you gotta watch out for that.

Laudanum is traditionally an alcoholic opium preparation - but I suppose i never saw any point to it (besides as a preservative maybe, but when I used...uh, that wasn't a pressing issue) - as the desirable opium alkaloids are highly water soluble, and I never used to mix opiates with booze (or drink alcohol at all, nowadays).
There are still lots of people that use pods, around the world.
Like cannabis, p.somniferum grows "like a weed" in many different climatic regions. Poppies are very pretty ornamental flowers - and from a drug perspective I've known quite a few people who prefer opium to more refined opiates/opioids like heroin, morphine, oxycodone etc.

Heroin goes in and out of fashion/taboo - but I imagine there always will (and long has been) groups of people getting high off poppy.
That sort of goes without saying with the 'plant drugs', if the knowledge is there.
 
Hammilton, You are thinking of the nitroglycerin. Amyl nitrite may be flammable but it is not explosive. Apparently they can both be used to treat angina.

I believe amyl nitrite is the antidote for cyanide poisoning as well.

You are supposed to take a breath of it while high on coke, MDMA or speed for orgasmic effects.

It is apparently also good at loosening the anus and vagina for massive insertions, lol.

Amyl NitRATE is probably a medium strength high explosive. Actually, I think it's probably a secondary explosive. Can't find a predicted or experimental VOD, though. I'm not thinking of nitroglycerin, but both will have similar effects if inhaled: migraine!

Amyl nitRITE is a shitty inhalant.

Ether isn't popular because it makes you smell like shit.
 
They have cyclohexyl nitrite instead of amyl nitrite sold as video head cleaner or room odorizer still widely available on the net.

Barbiturates are so easy to OD on that you now only get small doses cut with APAP for some headaches or something.

Mickey Finn also had antimony or some other poison to make you vomit I believe. Benzodiazepines replaced both of these. Modern anaesthetics replaced shit like ether long ago but some simple extraction can be done on some automotive product to get it. I can't remember but it may have been keyhole de-icer.

Poppy pod tea is essentially laudanum, is has the exact same contents.

Actually ether is not from de icer,...,it is starter fluid n now used in meth manufacturing
 
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