Since we keep coming back to the idea of extracting one's own in context of avoiding support of an industry with serveral variations of negative impact. Maybe we can lift the taboo of coca extraction here, as it would help anyone who is trying to not support that industry...
Actually I can honestly say that I regret any of my cocaine use during my more youthful less mature days of existence.
However just out of curiosity (and other ideas), since high quality Bolivian baby coca leaf is available here legally in U.S.,
I ordered some and tried several chews with good technique and was absolutely amazed to find that everything good about the cocaine experience (i.e. the first 10 before and 10 after minutes) was present plus. And that the desire to keep going was for the most part absent, with the exception of some of the old bad coke programming whereby the keep-it going metabolic pathway tries to assert itself.
My observation, as I'm sure many of you have made, with different plants, is that the "full spectrum" of alkaloids should be present in order to preserve mother natures balancing act that is conveyed through the plant-human symbiosis.
Coca is one such plant that has approximately a dozen different alkaloids, some of them canes, but other ones too.
Ayahuasca, Caapi vine, is one such plant that it is hard not to question the purgatives present vs the Harmalas-- which obviously can be nauseating in and of them selves.
But the interesting thing is how the isolation of alkaloids and plant actives can sometimes lose the mark, as opposed to gain it.
I think Mimosa Full Range vs pure isolated DMT is another interesting example, of which many interesting posts have revolved around.
It is also interesting how some plants may be strong enough and pleasant enough in their original state, and maybe do not warrant further refinement.
Coca may be one of those.
The effect of proper chewing really seems, although it is harder work, to be strong enough and still maintainable for productivity and focused activity.
Maybe others plants are like this too?...
Then you have some whereby a partial refining gains certain attributes but loses undesirable ones, like full range Mimosa extract.
And then there are those whereby a full refinement of one particular alkaloid seems superior.
Ron's feeling about Mescaline, as separated from the other Cactus alkaloids comes to mind.
I guess ultimately, for my current thought process, I question the deciding process by which we determine how far to refine plants, in order to preserve the healing potential-- which I can not help but project, is the most desirable intention with all our plant investigations.
This is the primary motivation for considering rejection of smoking DMT vs taking it orally.
I realize that I am projecting once again; but in reading peoples DMT experiences I never seem to feel that any kind of life changing healing evolution has taken place in the trip reports-- especially as compared to Ayahuasca experiences.
Then, personally I think even one should examine Pharma vs Aya and make sure one isn't losing a crucial healing component there as well.
Should not the healing potential and effect be the deciding factor upon which we base our furthered refinement of the plants?
My apologies for this digression from the thread's theme as stated.
However, sometimes, certain deviations in threads raise issues that may be universally applied across the board, and maybe even deserving of another thread.
Why is full range Coca extraction taboo and banned from the Nexus?
That's another question I am curious about.
Maybe it is just the former coca devil in me coming out:twisted:
That is, what is the deciding factor in determining which plants can be discussed and which ones can not here?
