Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out
Doctor Gonzo's Guide to Drugs

This is an opinionated and subjective guide to the drugs you are most likely to encounter* during the game. It's designed to give you roleplaying hints and impressions (I've also listed vague times of effect by each drug name). If you want accurate medical data, look it up. Rainbow and Moonbeam have an encyclopedia somewhere in their pad. But watch out for the WHITE RABBIT!

One Toke Over The Line

Marijuana - (1-6 hours depending on amount) The greatest gift of hipsters and jazz musicians to youth culture. The word we're looking for here is "mellow." Whether you're smoking a joint or eating up some of those Alice B. Toklas brownies, the effect is pretty much the same. Lower doses produce a general feeling of well-being, a warm and pleasant fuzzy buzz that doesn't have the dizziness of being drunk; the world tends to look nicer, too - a warm glow around everything. Larger doses intensify emotions, and also increase your reaction to sensory input - colors are brighter, sounds are more intense, your sense of touch is enhanced; the "munchies" are generally a wish to groove on taste, smell, and texture, rather than hungriness. Needless to say, sex can be a lot of fun when you're stoned. Actual hallucinations are rare (except on really good hashish), but the world often takes on a mystic significance.

The downside? Apart from a bit of dryness in the mouth, the thing to watch out for is that emotional surge. If you're bummed when you're straight, getting stoned might help - or it might make you really bummed. Sometimes people who are really out there on weed get paranoid, too.

The Gipsy, The Acid Queen

LSD - (8 to 12 hours, with aftereffects lasting well into the next day) "Patterns and colors and trails, oh my!" This little invention of Dr. Hoffman's made "psychedelic" a household word. Reality is pretty flexible when you're tripping... when you drop acid, you're likely to get drastic alterations in the way things look - colors change, solid objects appear to move and flow, halos or patterns of colored lines surround light sources. Staring at a flat surface (especially in a darkened room) can reward you with an amazing lightshow. You can also get sound effects, up to and including weird musical fugues resonating in your brain. You get strange ideas and inspirations (even stranger than on weed), but you also get easily distracted by all that stuff going on at the edges of your perception. It's hard to muster the concentration to have sex, but orgasms can bring some wonderful fireworks.

On the downside, acid can make you feel agitated and nervous (especially if it's impure). And there's also the infamous "bad trip" - if you're in a negative state of mind when you drop acid, watch out - there's no way off this ride short of drastic medical intervention (read: thorazine), and you'd better have some friends around to soothe you... It's also easy for mean people to mess with your head when you're tripping, and you better make sure your environment stays friendly. Since LSD is effective in tiny amounts, it's really easy to "dose" someone unawares (do you really trust the person getting you a drink?). Anyone with real mental problems should stay the hell away from this...

And You've Just Had Some Kind Of Mushroom

Magic Mushrooms - (6 to 8 hours, with aftereffects lasting about the same) Ah, what a happy drug! Makes you want to go outside and take off your clothes and roll in the grass... Mushrooms have many of the effects of acid, but in a kinder, gentler way. There is also a sense of euphoria on a 'shroom trip, but without the loss of coordination that being stoned can bring. Mushrooms are your friend; as a matter of fact they almost seem to have a personality. People taking large doses sometimes report seeing the spirits of the mushrooms coming out to talk to them. Organic objects - plants, animals, and people - are more interesting and friendly than technology when you're on this trip. Sex varies - it's either very intense and mystical, or it gets sidetracked by other wonders.

The hazards are the same as LSD, but bad trips are less likely and less intense. Just keep your environment friendly, and make sure you're in a good headspace before you start.

Speed Kills

Speed - (1 to 4 hours, and then you want some more... ) Whether you snort it or take pills, "crystal meth" has pretty much the same effect: you are wide awake and full of energy. Taken in moderation, it has none of the shakiness that is associated with high doses of caffeine. You're just bright and cheerful and ready for anything. You tend to talk really fast, and come up with ideas (not necessarily good ones) faster than you can write them down. You can dance longer, drive farther, and play harder when you're speeding. You can also get into some marathon screwing - if you can focus your interest enough.

People who use meth to go without sleep for long periods tend to start hallucinating, and not in a good way, either. Habitual users get nervous and paranoid when on speed, and cranky and logy when they're off it. This is the only drug on this sheet that is physically addictive.

Please note: All drugs in this event will be simulated by legal facsimiles. No controlled substances will be permitted on the premises.

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