HENBANE

Henbane is a hairy, sticky member of the potato family. Getting involved with this stuff can be sticky business, too. The plant can be found in sandy areas of Europe or growing wild in several parts of the United States. Seeds and dried leaves are sometimes smoked in India and Africa. The crushed roots can also be brewed into tea.

Chemically, henbane (Hyoscyamus nigery is very similar to datura. It has a high content of hyoscyamine, which is very much like atropine but acts twice as powerfully in its effect upon the peripheral nervous system. Henbane also contains scopolamine and several other tropanes.

In addition to producing mind-blowing visual hallucinations and a feeling of being drunk or sedated, the drug brings along a variety of dangerous and unpleasant effects: dizziness, confusion, nausea, diarrhea, pounding headache, blackout, and amnesia, to name just a few. Medieval witches, who often used henbane as a kicker in their cauldron brews, claimed the drug was capable of causing permanent insanity. Hardly worth the trip!