Snorting pure chocolate, the all-time cocoa powder, is becoming a dangerous fashion at night.
Yes, you are reading correctly: The new drug of night pubs is chocolate, and we are not talking about a pseudonym of a drug, but about ordinary plain cocoa, but inhaled. This strange trend seems to have been born in the night circles of Belgium and Germany, thanks to the use of a metallic device that basically functions as a catapult to be able to inhale cocoa powder.
The device, invented by Belgian chocolatier Dominique Persoone, started as a joke between himself and his colleagues at a surprise Rolling Stones party. This time he was designing a raspberry and chocolate dessert, but instead of being consumed it had to be inhaled.
The origin of the fashion to snort pure chocolate
chocolate_snorting_machine
As you well know, our language is capable of detecting a few basic flavors: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami. However, human nose distinguishes up to 1 billion different smellsSo snorting pure chocolate would be another way to consume it, at least according to Persoone. This chocolatier began experimenting with his grandfather’s tobacco machine, snorting pure chocolate, but it seemed like little. Therefore, he added chili to the mix, which apparently was not very pleasant.
Later, Persoone and his friends decided that the ideal mix will include dried mint, ginger and chocolate. So they went to buy the materials to build their own machine to snort pure chocolate in a more comfortable way. After 10 years since that day, his company has sold more than 25,000 devices of this style worldwide.
Why do people like to snort pure chocolate?
As of today, there are no scientific studies on the mechanism that snorting pure chocolate can have on the human brain. However, from what we know about the content of chocolate in general and its effects when consumed (in food) we can have some ideas: Pure cocoa contains endorphins and tyrosine (a forerunner of the dopamine). Both substances are natural neurotransmitters that induce the sensation of pleasure, so it is possible that bringing them to the blood by inhalation is faster if possible than in edible form.
On the other hand, cocoa is rich in antioxidants such as epicatechin, a substance that increases cerebral and muscular blood flow, which will lead to a shot of energy. In addition, epicatechin is a neuroprotective and has been shown to improve cognitive functions, making it a better option than consuming other stimulants such as cocaine or MDMA.
Is it safe to snort pure chocolate?
Finally, the question is a must: Is it safe snort chocolate pure?
Experts, such as Dr. Jordan Josephson, an otolaryngology specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital (New York), believe that inhaling chocolate powder is not safe, since the powder is perceived in the nose as a strange toxin, being able to damage the hair and the internal mucosa and causing scarring (as it already happens with other substances such as cocaine).
Persoone covers his back, claiming that his device warns that snorting too much pure chocolate can be harmful, and that it is not recommended for use by children. Also, the inventor affirms that the chemical substances that chocolate contains produce similar sensations to those that we feel after an orgasm.
Dr. Josephson disagrees with this statement, as there is no scientific evidence.
Going | IFLS, Live Science.
