'Datura Darts'

In case you don't follow our comments (which, why the hell not?), one of our readers, Aumdoc, has provided a great account of his experience administering atropine & scopolamine smoking cessation treatment:

I have experience administering atropine/scopolamine injections for nicotine addiction. I took the job at the clinic two days a month to make some additional income. I found out about the clinic because my dear friend, S, was successful quitting smoking through the clinic. I had watched S literally torment himself for 2 years trying to quit smoking. Every method he could try he did... patches, Zyban, cold turkey... all without success. It wasn't really his trying to quit that got to me; it was more the self recrimination when he failed.

S has quite an interest in plants, especially those with a history of psychotropic human interaction. Among the many cactii on his back deck there are many tree daturas in pots with beautiful trumpet flowers. He loves those plants. To both him and me it seems no small coincidence that he ended up quitting using alkaloids found in these plants (and others as well; brugmansia & jimson weed come to mind). He was assisted by his plant allies.

Whenever one reads about "recreational (!?!)" use of these plants on Erowid, the reports almost always end with uncontrolled bizarre behavior that usually calls the attention of authorities. Dosing from the plant source is very unpredictable and overdosing seems common with trouble that follows. These plants are used in indigenous shamanic settings as admixtures in ayahuasca or smoking mixtures. I think the indigenous shamans have a better handle on how to use them than the average American drug user.

I was so impressed by S's success that when I needed a few days extra work each month I contacted the clinic. Now S kids me about shooting "Datura Darts". In this therapy the individual is screened medically (history and physical, EKG, pulmonary function tests) to make sure they are a safe candidate for the therapy. They then receive injection therapy, with specific weight-based doses of atropine and scopolamine, to provide anticholinergic effects on nicotine receptors. Once processed through the clinic (they watch videos and receive behavioral counseling) they continue scopolamine and atropine orally for 2 weeks.

We discuss that these are not new medications and have been and are used in many different ways in medicine.

Patients routinely have a "big experience" with the shots.... meaning they feel something... ("ooooooooooooo this must be powerful medicine if it makes me feel this way")... I can't help but feel this has something to do with the effectiveness of the method. I tell people what to expect from the shots: "You may feel dizzy or lightheaded and off balance; your pupils will dilate making lights bright and it difficult to focus (like coming out of the eye doctors); you will have a very dry mouth; it is most common for people to be sedated and fall asleep on the ride home; it is very common for people to describe feeling stoned, drunk or intoxicated. Some people like it and some don't. Often times people look drunk as they walk out of the clinic."

I have been doing this since March, 2 days a month, and am amazed at how many people stop smoking who have been unable to do so over a lifetime. I do not have this year's numbers yet (success rates from the clinic's follow up) but feel it will be more than 50%. People describe a loss of craving immediately. This is a clinic situation that will take anyone who pays and passes the medical screening. I don't think all these people are really ready to quit and I feel that is an important part of success. With establishment of clearer screening guidelines I think it would be even more effective.

The effects are very predictable using the weight-based dosing schedule. I have not had any problems with psychotropic or other medical adverse reactions. Yes, some people have some 'unusual' experiences as they describe to me, but nothing untoward. Older individuals (>60 y/o) also seem to tolerate the treatment.

I have spent six months connecting to the daturas in my yard and spending time using plant material at very very low dose to try to further connect with the beneficial effects of Datura Darts. I always comment to patients that these are not new medicines and in fact the plants these chemicals come from were used as medicine long before there were doctors.