PIGMENT POISON- RIchmond Times Dispatch
It’s been a couple of years now since the first murmurs of a new menace rose from the dark streets where pushers and addicts ply their foul trade. They called it “pigment”, a supposed heroin derivative – like crack is to cocaine – but thanks to various chemical additives is far more dangerous. Last week, however, the Drug Enforcement Administration testified before a congressional panel on drug abuse that pigment presents a greater danger than originally anticipated.
The DEA did not reveal the actual chemical composition of pigment, claiming it might encourage others to manufacture the drug, but did claim it was partially based on heroin and peyote. The peyote, along with sundry industrial chemicals is responsible for the highly hallucinogenicproperties of pigment use, according to the DEA’s Pigment Drug Enforcement Task Force (PDET). Special Agen in Charge, Tom Cleary, also testified that habitual users who inject pigment “quickly suffer permanent mental damage or psychoses. The Damage is similar to, but more severe than that suffered by LSD users. Because the drug is fat soluble, the victims experience flashbacks or suffer hallucinations even after kicking the habit. In some severe cases, users could not sleep without slipping into nightmares.”
Independent sources, however, claim the drug seems to piggy-back its effects on other substances as well. It’s appeared as a crystal meth and heroin derivative, and is even drunk in mexico as part of a fermented cactus alcohol called “Pulque Muerto”.
Special Agent Tom Cleary also testified that “The hallucinations suffered by Pigment users are of a distinctly dark nature.” Many users report seeing ghosts or living nightmares walking about.
While the research is still in its infancy, the DEA states that the neurological damage inflicted by pigment is permanent. Eventually, hallucinations drive some addicts to suicide, but not before many of them engage in self-mutilation, fall into manic depressive states, or other psychoses.
Special Agent Tom Cleary was evasive as to who was responsible for creating pigment, stating only that “We can’t jeopardise our ongoing investigation by revealing certain facts too early. But we do understand people’s concerns and will inform the general public of our findings as soon as possible.”
One disturbing trend made known the panel was the spread of pigment across all demographics and social classes. Because of its various forms, pigment appeals to casual dabblers, party club circuits, and hardcore drug abusers. It remains to be seen if the DEA can nip this growing drug menace in the bu, or whether it will overtake crack as a threat to American society.