From medicine to crime: how did scopolamine become a tool for “zombification”? All about its properties and consequences of use.
The drug scopolamine, also known as “devil's breath,” is used medically to prevent motion sickness and nausea. But the drug also has another, more dangerous property.
Scopolamine has recently become a popular drug in the criminal underworld, especially in parts of South America, used as a substance that can erase memory and deprive free will, Science Alert writes.
Most cases of scopolamine abuse come from countries like Colombia, but there are a number of similar cases in Europe. In 2015, three people were arrested in Paris for using the drug in a robbery to turn their victims into docile “zombies.” Also in 2019, the first scopolamine-related murder was recorded in the UK.
Scopolamine, also known as hycosine, is a tropane alkaloid, a plant compound found in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It was used centuries ago by indigenous communities in South America for spiritual rituals because of its powerful psychoactive effects.
In the modern world, scopolamine is prescribed to prevent motion sickness, nausea, vomiting, and muscle spasms. The drug also reduces saliva production before surgery.
Scopolamine is known to block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which plays a vital role in memory, learning, and coordination. It is this blockade that helps suppress nausea by interrupting signals from the vestibular system. But this drug, like many others, has side effects, especially when used in high doses and outside of a clinical setting.
This drug disrupts the cholinergic system of the human body, which is the main one in the formation and retrieval of memories. Therefore, scopolamine can lead to temporary but quite severe memory loss, which is why criminals love it.
The ability to erase memory is often described as “zombification.” Victims often complain of confusion, hallucinations, and a complete loss of control.
Scientists warn that after oral administration, the drug acts quickly and is eliminated from the body within 12 hours, making it difficult to detect in the blood. Signs of scopolamine poisoning include rapid heartbeat, dry mouth and red skin, blurred vision, confusion and disorientation, hallucinations and drowsiness.
Let us remind you, In Ukraine , psychotropic drugs are sold under the guise of “weight loss tea” . Bloggers conducted an examination and identified the banned substance sibutramine in “natural” dietary supplements.
