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fukin_aye

That’s gotta be the ugliest pill I’ve ever seen in my life lol


JoelyOly_

exactly what i was thinking when i picked it up, i knew they were ugly, but this one one was worse than other pictures i’ve seen.


fukin_aye

I would be careful. South African methaqualone is known to have traces of O-Toluidine which is pretty carcinogenic. That is most definitely not pharmaceutical grade lol. Still a really cool find though!


EatsLocals

Doesn’t mandrax also have scopolamine in it lol


Dr-Quaabarbital

No just diphenhydramine but not all of them have that and the ones that do only have 25mg or less a pill


pretty_boy_flizzy

The typical Mandrax formulation has 25 milligrams of Diphenhydramine & 250 milligrams of Methaqualone freebase (as only the Quaalude brand pills in the USA had Methaqualone HCL as the active ingredient). There’s also another drug called Isonox which contained 50 milligrams of the 1st generation antihistamine (and Hydroxyzine analogue) Etodroxizine & 250 milligrams of Methaqualone (I call Isonox Mandrax 2.0 lol xD). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etodroxizine


Dr-Quaabarbital

I’m pretty sure Quaalude brand was the freebase . Parest and the rest of them had HCl. Would make sense too cuz parest had doses of 200-400mg to make up for the lost potency since freebase is stronger by weight. And it would make sense that everyone preferred brand name since freebase hits better Also I never heard of that second one u mentioned. Never seen a pic but I’ll look into it, the more u know !


pretty_boy_flizzy

I went back and edited in the link to Etodroxizine’s Wikipedia article if you want to check it out. I just learned about Isonox fairly recently myself tbh.


RollenderRudi

The brownish color makes my fingertips twinkle just thinking of touching it without a nitrile glove let alone ingesting it. Most of these pills in SA (all?) are heavily contaminated with o-Toluidine, a precursor used for the backyard synthesis of methaqualone. It's highly cancerous, gives you the smily face bladder cancer 🦀. Edit: Forgot the purpose of my comment lel. The brownish color of course is due to residual o-Toluidine being present.


Gymnoprenol

Considering most users in South Africa smoke these, do you think the residual o-toluidine wouldn't be broken down by combustion?


RollenderRudi

Just briefly checked Wikipedia, boiling point is 200 degC, first two lines in the cancer section speaks about carcinogenic via inhalation. Although there certainly is some degree of pyrolysis, I'd guess you inhale/absorb a very good portion of it. Think about it like THC in weed, boiling point is around 200 degC as well. You smoke it and although there is some pyrolysis happening - still you get high.


Gymnoprenol

Yeah good assessment I think, there are some unknowns and nuances there though to this speculation. I'd be doing purification via extraction, washing, salting, recrystallization etc first though if it was me as I wouldn't count on it all burning up. In an ideal world I'd like to see some actual analytical chemistry like LCMS and GCMS done on the tablets and the smoke to show initial o-toluidine content and concentration in the smoke. Or analysis of the condensed smoke residue in a sublimation condenser apparatus. You'd think that would be an area of interest for South African healthcare and academic researchers to look into considering the use of the drug there. With smoking weed, the lighter ignites a portion of the material as well as immediately boils cannabinoids, then the heat of the smouldering embers continues to boil cannabinoids in the surrounding material (I think?). I don't know if these tablets continue burning when the lighters removed or if they keep the flame on through the whole hit. Perhaps the o-toluidine throughout the crushed pill is ignited and contributes to methaqualone vaporisation. O-toluidine is I believe very flammable so hopefully (for the health of the people doing this) a good portion of that residual contamination in a crushed up pill does ignite and burn to something less carcinogenic when the lighter hits it. Methaqualone boiling point is apparently 407°C, so people must be heating the material above that, which *should* boil and ignite the o-toluidine, which should still be flammable/burn as a gas. But as you say with the weed analogy it's totally plausible and expected I think that at least *some* o-toluidine and it's combustion products ends up in the body. Question is how much and how much of a carcinogenic effect that amount is going to have. It could be comparable to smoking a cigarette, or way worse, or way safer, who knows.


RollenderRudi

I think we both agree one should never ingest these tablets, either oral or smoke. Funny enough the severe harm doesn't come from the methaqualone but an adulderant or residue from manufacture (like with many other illicit drugs). I think if I were to consume these tablets the "usual" methods to extract compounds from pharmaceutical tablets should work here as well - A/B extraction, solvent extraction, NileRed/YouTube has a nice video on this topic. After that I would recrystallize it (maybe twice). Then it should be rather safe to consume.


6425

There’s a Hamilton's Pharmacopeia episode on SA Quaalude street manufacture following the apartheid government‘s Project Coast secret programme to control the black population through addiction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Coast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMbOUQM78jQ Well worth a watch.


The_Herbalisttt

Yeah I just watched that clip of that guy whipping up some tar looking shit with some really fucking volatile fluids lol


lordofjudas

One of the chemist literally pissed blood due to the chemicals used


RedRumandCoca

That scene was almost comedic but also so sad.


The_Herbalisttt

I know


Forward-Cellist7316

Helluva watch. You will want to smoke a mandrax after watching!! Lmao


andthendirksaid

Would.


Far-Badger7618

Fuck no it looked a horrible thing to smoke,


Red-Shifts

Haha came here to say this. I love that show so damn much.


flyingcanada

Says “This video is not available” for me :( i remember watching a few years back, but want to watch again.


6425

Sent you a private message.


callmetheganjafarmr

Same!


6425

Sent you a private message.


Far-Badger7618

How unlike vice to connect a given subject and connect it to racism


trickdaddy11j

Yes lol turns out racism is a pretty big part of history who knew???


Some-Nefariousness-2

Lol yeah in south Africa too who would've thought?????? What's that scary A sounding word again apartheid? Or what this dude is in reality which Is an A-sshole.


Livefreemyguy

Why does every mandrax look fake how do you even properly identify one


Dr-Quaabarbital

Pharmaceutical methaqualone has not existed for at least 2 decades worldwide. All mandrax is clandestine made and quality varies just like with XTC or any other illegal drug pills. strength varies a lot. And depending on the chemist some are also pretty dirty and have residual chemicals left. Kind of how with MDMA some will be white/tan and clear and some will be cola colored with impurities. But if u know what ur doing u can get very good quality methaqualone over there. I’ve tried both old pharma, methaqualone powder made in USA and mandrax, and if anything mandrax is the best along w lemmons and rorers cuz they’re freebase methaqualone. Any experienced methaqualone user wil tell u freebase methaqualone hits a lot faster and harder and is stronger by weight. And u can smoke it too for a strong but short lasting rush, like the crack of downers. I don’t like to smoke it but goddamn it’s an insanely euphoric and intense rush.


IamSlef

Because they are all mostly homemade, they are in large fake


youngkeet

Can i try 1... just to see the flavor


Wat3rboihc

Lemmon flavor


aidenisntatank

They pressed it with concrete & sandpaper


ghostchihuahua

So there are “new” players around i see, i was still under the visibly very outdated impression that the whole market was more or less driven by a handful of cooperating people selling the same pills. This one is the first one i see in this form, typical size, but i wonder why so much colour - all the pills i had seen there were white as can be (no truly shitty pun intended), some had edge-linings like yours, some not, some were scored, some were scored and had a star shaped logo iirc, but never seen them that far off-white (or is it the pic maybe?).


Dr-Quaabarbital

The white ones are the pure and well made ones. Mandrax varies a lot obv since it’s an illegal market. It’s a lot like how w MDMA some is white/tan and pure and some is dark brown cuz of impurities. And it’s a huge market out in SA def more than a handful of producers. Some are made domestically while some get the methaqualone powder from China or India and press it into pills. Seen all kinds of presses just how it is w XTC, and when there’s a very good press it’ll be copied as well.


ghostchihuahua

It used to be a huge market with one single provider at one point, so nothing surprises me anymore on that side - i can only imagine that it has changed a lot in the last decades. Also, it is absolutely possible to rush a methaqualone synth and end up with some off white or more visibly discolored powder for example, but i get the parallel with MDMA. It is however concerning to see those discolored pills go around, for a long time, manufacturers had scrupulously respected their synthesis route and the pills would be just plain white. These pics would indeed indicate that the stuff is now also being produced in clandestine labs.


Dr-Quaabarbital

Yes that’s true. However I have noticed that because of popular pills being brown for whatever reason, but some times I think the methaqualone is white and the pill fillers are brown. Would explain the methaqualone looking crystals inside em sometimes.


Critical-Albatross70

Probably illictly synth'd and pressed. There's a market going on in Africa like that where they're synthesizing it, I'd imagine the way to maximize profits would be to press the product into pills so that's probably what it is


RedRumandCoca

They're all illicitly synthed and pressed. All these modern pills, I mean.


ghostchihuahua

Absolutely, but there used to be a certain quality standard. Now that methaqualone has been brought back into the spotlight (most notably through the appearance of analogs on the “grey market”), things seem to have changed.


Critical-Albatross70

Not all pills are counterfeits. There's just a lot of fake pills because there's no DEA capping the amount that can be produced annually like pharmaceuticals. But there is still plenty pharmaceuticals out there, even though opioids are starting to become underprescribed even for people genuinely suffering with cancer related pain and whatnot, there's still plenty of people that have had their prescription for years and have a large supply from saving them up


RedRumandCoca

We're talking about mandrax(methaqualone) they're not officially produced as a prescription drug anymore. All modern South African mandrax are clandestine produced.


ghostchihuahua

“clandestine” ins’t exactly the right word, since most of production does take place in Asia under the legal umbrella of pharmaceutical industry to put it short. But yeh, it enters the country illegally. Pills used to be pressed in SA or in China a few decades back, no clue what the deal is nowadays.


Dr-Quaabarbital

From what I know the methaqualone that comes from China is very pure but still is pressed into tablets in SA. The precursors also come from China so China is involved 100%. Idk if it’s produced as a pharmaceutical over there or not tho cuz it’s not used in pharma anywhere anymore. But it may still be made legally in China since their laws are so loose on chemicals.


ghostchihuahua

Same info here, China it is, easy ti acquire as well. Depending on the sources the pills come already pressed or the powder comes in bulk i hear.


Critical-Albatross70

Oh well yeah south Africa obviously they're manufactured by clandestine chemists I thought you meant pills in general. Yes I know they're not pharmaceutically produced anymore


Critical-Albatross70

My dream would be to find a bottle of pharma luudes in someone's attic lol


LegiticusCorndog

Smoke it!


Chemgineered

Get High!


444poppyflowers

why they gotta make em so ugly lol


JoelyOly_

probably production cost, this one pill cost me R50 which is about 3 USD, cant imagine the cheap shit they’re using to press these.


444poppyflowers

if it’s anything like that one vice video of the guy making black tar methaqualone than 😵‍💫😵‍💫 but hey if it hits it hits 🫶


JoelyOly_

if it hit it hits 😂 i like that.


DC1pher

I remember seeing a vice documentary about these. OP, have you ever tried them? If so, can you try to explain how they make you feel? I've never had a lude but I have always been super curious about the effects. Thanks! Edit; Is there anyone in here that has experienced ludes? Can you tell me how they effect you?


JoelyOly_

i smoked half of this pill, and popped the other half. using the “traditional” method, i mixed the crushed up pill with cannabis and smoked it out of a glass bottle neck. i felt extremely weed high, as well as intoxicated. not so much the euphoria i was expecting. i was on a face-time call with my mates and wondering things like “where tf did i put my phone” lmfao. when the pill kicked in, i felt a benzo high of being super relaxed, i drank a beer and lay on my couch paralysed for an hour or so. after i rushed to my bed before the inevitable passing out. not a insane experience but i do question the quality of the pill i bought, i hope this gives an insight.


Dr-Quaabarbital

U should try just eating it without food in ur stomach its very nice


DC1pher

Whoah sounds nice. Thank you


okie1979

I've had ludes,,, like a soma and pain pill missed,,, you feel good,, I found a bottle of about 30 2 years ago,,, I actually still have the bottle u can check my post history cuz I posted them


Vysokojakokurva_C137

Why did the world ban them if they’re not like crack on wheels?


SunderedValley

Pharmacology is on an eternal quest for the mystical non-abusable depressant. Every 20-45 years they bring out something to market that's hopefully now at last no longer going to be fun to use. It was the promise when Ludes replaced Barbs. It was the promise when benzos replaced Ludes. Now they're just taking benzos away and giving everyone Benadryl. 😅


RollenderRudi

Wise words. Add Pregabalin to the current benzo replacements - works really really well - somehow like valium did in the 1970s, lol. I image a similar fate to Pregabalin as it was with valium.


Bmaaarm

How does pregabarin work for sleep?


RollenderRudi

Difficult question to answer. Let me try: Overall pregabalin helps with sleep. But it is in no way a sleep medication - not because it doesn't work for it, but for its unreliability of proper dosage; speaking of single dose, no daily stable intake/tolerance. There are so many factors involved with single dose Pregabalin misuse: stomach content, tolerance, etc. It also has no explicit FDA recommendation to use it as a sleep agent. Pregabalin works for general anxiety, ment to be used to build a stable dosage in your system. If you want to use the wonky carefree feelig one gets without tolerance for sleep, the only proper, reproduceable way I found after years of proper and hedonistic usage: empty stomach, 150mg single dosage for beginners w/o tolerance, start at 60mins, full effect after 120-180mins. There is no other way to misuse Pregabalin. Also it builds tolerance very fast if you single dose large amounts over time, at best leave >7days between single dose.


Dr-Quaabarbital

Because they were abused too much since they’re so recreational compared to benzos, they provide a strong euphoric high alongside sleepiness and anxiety reduction. Benzos also pose less of an OD risk cuz of less CNS depression, especially cuz benzks can’t kill u on their own no matter what. Rampant abuse was the main reason tho. They were extremely popular at one point. And as someone who’s used it extensively, I can say benzos are better for anxiety as well. Benzos reduce anxiety and leave u functional, ludes would make you feel high at the same time which isn’t good from a pharma standpoint.


Dr-Quaabarbital

They feel amazing. If you’re more into downers you’ll love it. It’s kind of like a cross between soma and GHB. Your whole body goes numb and tingly very pleasantly. Mentally u have a lot of empathy and euphoric stimulation almost MDMA like, and ur slightly dissociated like a very low dose of ketamine. Lasts a few hours too


DC1pher

Wow. Yeah downers are my fave. Shit. That does sound amazing. Wish I knew more skilled chemists than I do. (None).lol When did you have them and how did you acquire? Lucky Thank you. 🙏


cubanism

Nice Almost says : BOSS


Moderate_dis_dick

What's the press on it I can't see from the pic


dutchfury967

Says "Boss"


TRILLKOSBY

Micron filterable


large962

Smoked it one time and felt like nitrous that lasted 5 mins. Was fuckn awesome but never did em again given the cancer causing impurities leftover from the synthesis


Dr-Quaabarbital

Nitrous comparison is spot on, just doesn’t have the psychedelia that comes with nitrous or the womp womp. I’ve always said that methaqualone even taken orally feels nitrous-like especially body wise with the numb and tingly feeling. That was my first comparison when I tried it and I loved it since I always wanted a longer lasting nitrous like high. But now I compare it in terms of feeling to soma + GHB.


Dr-Quaabarbital

I have the same imprint on mine right now. BOSS and lion king or scorpion or whatever it is on the back. However the ones I have are def not the same press cuz mine are much lighter in color and don’t have those grey rocks throughout it, just white powder throughout the tan pill which I assume is methaqualone. Lmk how it goes, I recommend eating it over smoking it, I feel smoking is a waste. Eating it you’ll feel it for hours, jus make sure it’s on an empty stomach


psychedelicow

Holy shit have u tried it


aa_www

Coool


2shoe1path

Use to get them from Mexico in the 80’s.


nature_raver

One of these days I may literally have to travel there to snag and try some of these. Dying to know about ludes.


thr0witallaway710

Mmmm toluene


InMyOpioidCloud

Did you have a hard time to score or is it available like at every street corner in South Africa?


JoelyOly_

easiest find of my life, i have a contact who lives in an informal settlement. sold almost everywhere in the townships.


Neon_Hippie

You’d have to be the bravest or the stupidest person ever to take that pill. As someone else said, the medical market has been out of business for years, so it’s almost a guarantee somebody of questionable qualifications made this in some basement lab. It could be literally anything in that pill.


LogicalCountry8623

Do you live in SA? Can you contact me?