Recreational use of the psychedelic Internet drug 4-HO-MET is characterized by drastic shifts in cognition, emotion, and bodily perception, driven primarily by curiosity. Analyzing 25 anonymous Swedish experience reports from public forums, nine themes emerged: motivation, initial effects, altered perception, unfiltered awareness, lateral cognition, blurred subject-object boundaries, heaven-like and hell-like experiences, and subsiding effects. Users described a chronological process and reported satisfaction despite intense positive and negative experiences. The effects closely resemble those of classic psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin. The authors call for further research into potential health hazards and therapeutic uses.
An analysis of 40 online forum posts describes how young Swedish users experience intoxication from Spice, a synthetic cannabinoid mixture. The intoxication produced both positive effects, such as well-being and elation, and negative effects, including fears and unpleasant physical sensations. Despite these drawbacks, users often found the experience fascinating and rewarding. Smoking Spice was a social activity, typically done in small peer groups, and users kept their use secretive. The findings highlight the complex, ambivalent nature of Spice intoxication among young people.