Oh yeah, lot’s of us do it right under our boss’s nose. Some companies even offer incentives for their employees to get high. I particularly enjoy getting high on long airplane flights right in front of the flight attendants. What am I talking about? It is an ignorant article I read today about i-dosing, digital drugs, and kids getting high from music. You can read the tabloid level article at http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=12793977. The article is potentially even stupider than Reefer Madness, and perhaps much more absurd. Joe Friday at the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics is concerned that these “digital drugs” will lead kids to use illegal drugs. The ignorant school district sent a letter to parents warning them about this new threat.
It is too bad that nobody reporting did any research at all. Yeah, music does affect our brains and body. This has been known for about the entire history of mankind. In recent years neuroacoustic psychologists have studied the phenomenon with scientific rigor. There is an outstanding book called “This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession” by Daniel J. Levitin. Mr. Levitin explains in easy to understand language how music affects the brain and the physiological results.
The Center for Neuroacoustic Research has over 90 tracks designed to alter your brainwaves, which in turn creates drugs or drug-like effects in your body. If the reporter from www.newson6.com had read http://www.neuroacoustic.com/entrainment.html then she could have taken an analytical approach instead of a hype approach. If the guy from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics had read anything on the subject, perhaps he wouldn’t have made his ridiculous Reefer Madness
There is nothing different about the “eDrug” music and the music that makes you stand up and dance. The music is causing your body to release endorphins. Exercise does the same thing. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Mustang Public School district should be terrified that their physical education classes might lead to drug use. Being far more rational, my employer and many employers encourage their employee to exercise because it makes sense. Listening to music that makes you feel good is a good thing, not the road to narcotics hell.
Consider this… Some retail stores have long used music to help create a shopping mindset. The psychological use of music is not a new thing. Perhaps shopping will lead to drug use. Maybe the friendly folks from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics should raid Victoria’s Secret and see if there is music playing that might create endorphins in the bodies of shoppers. This is really scary stuff, isn’t it?
As for the video of the “high” kids on YouTube, some are just acting and some have made their own minds induce a state of euphoria, much like a hypnotist can convince people of things for benefit or simple entertainment. I have no doubt at all that you could post a song, claim it is quite powerful for i-dosing and end up with video of kids “getting high” on the tunes. It doesn’t even have to be binaural to do the trick.
What a shame that the Mustang School district choose FUD over education and that the media completely failed to do their homework when reporting the story.
So, now I can’t sell you my songs without being accused potentially leading you to drug use, but then my lack of musicianship might do that anyway! Still, if you want free drugs, feel free to listen to some of my digital drugs at http://www.myspace.com/randyabrams. If you experience any unwanted effects, you can probably eliminate them by playing the songs backwards.
In closing, should you see me on an airplane with my earphones on… ask me if it’s good sh!t :)
Randy Abrams
Director of Technical Education
ESET LLC
