Jenkem Side Effects
A recreational drug called "Jenkem" has been receiving international attention over the past decade thanks to a report from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1999 and a bulletin from the Collier County Sheriff's Office in Florida in 2007. The drug itself is a gas made from human sewage; the user sucks the gas from a balloon that was previously attached a water bottle containing fermented sewage. This inhalant has proven to be as dangerous as it is malodorous.
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Hallucinations
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The BBC article, written by Ishbel Matheson, cited an interview with a 16-year-old Jenkem user in Lusaka. The teenager mentioned that while he was using the drug, he experienced hallucinations that allowed him to see his deceased mother. A report by Kelli Cheatham from the WSBT news station in Indiana confirms that the gas produced by the fermented sewage does cause hallucinations.
Increased Susceptibility to Diseases
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There is a good reason why you are not supposed to handle human waste. According to the laboratory director for the Kern County Department of Public Health in Bakersfield, California, the reason why you should avoid handling fecal matter in any capacity is because you are yourself at risk of contracting diseases like salmonella and hepatitis A. Other illnesses spread through fecal contact include diarrhea, pinworm infection and the Norwalk virus.
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The Taste of Sewage
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Perhaps one of the most unpleasant side effects is the lingering taste that Jenkem leaves in the user's mouth. The foul flavor of raw sewage lasts not for a few minutes or hours, but rather for a few days after using Jenkem.
Fainting
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In the same article by Kelli Cheatham, an emergency room doctor at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Indiana warns that Jenkem can cause low blood pressure and decreased heart rate in users. An article regarding fainting on the MassGeneral Hospital for Children website notes that low blood pressure and a slower heart rate can cause fainting, which explains why the bulletin from Collier County Sheriff's Office listed passing out as one of the side effects.
Lack of Oxygen
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According to an article in "The Pace Press" in April of 2008, an anesthesia specialist in Boston tested the effects of sewer gas on mice and realized that Jenkem users are experiencing a feeling of being high because they are not getting enough oxygen into their bodies. Insufficient oxygen levels for prolonged periods of time can result in permanent brain damage and even death.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of How can I recycle this
