As of June 2002,
AMT is not an item on the U.S. Federal schedule of narcotics; it is illegal (Schedule I) in the state of
Illinois. The dangers, though, lie elsewhere. Being a research chemical there are no conclusive studies on
addiction, long or short term effects, drug interactions or the more involved neurochemical processes.
What is known is that it acts as a
monoamine oxidase inhibitor (
MAOI) -- while it was developed as an
indole amphetamine analog it primariy functions as an antidepressant with
hallucinagenic properties. In the 1960s it was available as a prescription antidepressant (named Indopan) in the
Soviet Union and distributed in five and ten milligram capsules.
Its fate as an uncontrolled substance rests on the shoulders of its users. Recreational doses vary from twenty to over a hundred milligrams and overstepping ones personal limit by even fifty percent can and most likely will lead to extensive bouts of
vomiting and
diarrhea, not to mention bad trips.
I have never been particularly sensitive to psychotropic substances (Psylocybin, LSD, MDMA) and am notorious for my iron stomach, having not vomited from alcohol or sickness in fifteen years. Considering myself game for a medium dose of what was advertised as a mixture of MDMA and Psylocybin with a peak-time of seven hours, I chose to ingest fourty milligrams on a near-empty stomach.
I dosed at 11:30 PM Saturday, commenting to my girlfriend that everyone who had spoken to me about the drug had experienced some bouts of nausea, and that I might have to find a place to lie down if it were to affect me. Within ten minutes I felt queasy, another ten and I was sure that I would vomit any moment. With the nausea came a feeling of inner warmth, although it was faint in the presence of such sickness. I made my way to the bathroom and immediately noticed that the hallucinogenic effects had taken hold as well -- the colored dots on the bathroom tiles were playfully shifting around and I observed a heat-like flimmer on all distanced objects.
After the vomiting came the confusion -- up to that point I had always been able to control my mind trips. What made AMT different was that my thoughts themselves were fractalizing, and any mental venture would lead to a point of generality and origin. Still I was queasy, and that queasyness brought on by outside stimulus and would not subseed until later the next day.
All together it took two hours for the blinding sickness and confusion to subceed; while I still had the occasional urge to vomit I felt together enough to return to the ongoing street festival to enjoy the lights and possibly see some friends.
The problem with being in the grips of an overpowering psychoactive is that it has your complete attention. Moments can last for hours and hours can pass with the blink of an eye -- at the time this was still working against me, and again it wouldn't be until the next day that I regained control of my attention. The other major issue is that the drug made me feel both antsy and indecisive -- something else I had read about as a common side-effect.
It wasn't until noon the next day that the intensity lowered enough for me to enjoy the general effects of the substance -- light hallucinations, a general mood-lift and transient glimpses of the fractal nature of thought.
While my personal experience certainly does not invalidate AMT as a recreational substance, it should serve as a reminder that - especially with research chemicals - one should start with the lowest possible dose and slowly increase it. Also, listen to your body -- if ever you have the impulse of rejecting a chemical or cutting all ties to it, do so without hestitation -- especially if there is little officially known about the substance.