In 1916, an obstetrician in Texas gave Scopolamine, a drug derived from the Nightshade family, to his patient who was in labor. This was a common form of sedation for birth as it stopped pain but maintained consciousness. He asked his sedated patient’s husband a question and was surprised when his patient answered instead. This was the first realization that Scopolamine seemed to reduce emotional pain along with physical pain, and made it easier for people to answer difficult questions.

It was used as “truth serum” by interrogators to confirm the innocence of people and to obtain confessions, including confessions for 24 ax murders in Alabama. It was used by the CIA for several years. Eventually it fell out of use, because of its side effects, which included hallucinations and dry mouth, and the CIA decided that it was “unreliable” as a truth serum.

While it is no longer used as truth serum, it is still used today as Hyoscine (sometimes called “Devil’s Breath”), a drug for motion sickness, post-op nausea, vomiting, GI spasms and sea sickness…particularly by SCUBA divers.

Criminals sometimes use the drug today as a “knockout drug” as it is said to turn people into “walking zombies” who will follow the criminals’ commands without resistance. But that could all be an urban legend…what do you think?

Is it was reliable…do you truth serum would be beneficial or harmful to society?