Hazardous Substances
Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa)
Street names: Lettuce opium, Lactucarium, Opium lettuce, Acrid lettuce
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- Mild sedative bitter (lactucin/lactucopicrin) — the 19th century's patent-medicine 'lettuce opium' is 99% placebo
- Sold as a legal opioid alternative
⚠Key risks
- The marketing vastly exceeds the pharmacology — but the placebo works on desperation
- Wild-harvest misidentification risk (lookalike plants)
- The real danger: people in opioid withdrawal wasting time on inert herbs instead of treatment
- Mild allergic reactions
✚Overdose signs
- None documented at sane doses
Category comparison — Hazardous Substances
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa) | Unregulated herb; legal | The marketing vastly exceeds the pharmacology — but the placebo works on desperation; Wild-harvest misidentification risk (lookalike plants) | $8–$20 per ounce herb |
| Potassium Cyanide (KCN) | Not a drug — regulated toxic chemical | Lethal dose ~200–300 mg — death within minutes to an hour; No antidote available outside hospital; hydrogen cyanide gas from acid contact | N/A — sometimes sold fraudulently as 'peaceful exit' scams |
| Air Duster (Computer Duster / Canned Air) | Household product — not a drug; no age restriction on purchase | SUDDEN SNIFFING DEATH — the most deadly inhalant: difluoroethane sensitizes the heart to adrenaline; a sudden fright, chase, or exertion triggers fatal cardiac arrest. First-time users die; Frostbite to lungs and airway from direct spray | $3–$8 per can at any electronics/office store |
| Gasoline / Petrol Huffing | Not a drug — fuel product | Extremely toxic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, xylene); Sudden sniffing death — cardiac arrest | Effectively free — siphoned fuel |
| Glue / Solvent Sniffing | Not drugs — adhesives and solvents | The CLASSIC youth inhalant — peak use age 14–15; Sudden sniffing death from cardiac arrest | $1–$5 per tube/can — pocket money prices |
| Refrigerant / Freon Huffing | Not a drug — HVAC refrigerant | EXTREMELY dangerous — refrigerant gases (difluoroethane, tetrafluoroethane) cause sudden cardiac death at high rates; Frostbite to airways | Stolen/siphoned — no price, high death cost |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa) look like?
Dried herb or sticky 'lactucarium' extract from tall wild lettuce; smoked or brewed
What are the signs of a Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa) overdose?
None documented at sane doses Call emergency services immediately.
How addictive is it?
The marketing vastly exceeds the pharmacology — but the placebo works on desperation Dependence can develop with regular use.