Episode Twenty-Two:The Devil’s Breath – Zombie Drug or Overhyped Hallucinogen?
Known alternately as Devil’s Breath, Angel’s Trumpet, Burundanga, or by many other names, the drug produced by the flowers of the Colombian borrachero tree has a fearsome reputation of being able to completely zombify a person simply by having it blown in said person’s face. The alkaloid called scopolamine that is responsible for the drug’s effects is certainly dangerous and has indeed been used as a date rape drug in addition to facilitating robberies and other crimes, but how much of this drug’s terrifying legend is legitimate and how much is wildly exaggerated? Can you really lose your free will completely, simply by touching the stuff? On this episode of 13 O’Clock, Tom and Jenny try to sort out myth from reality regarding the so-called “world’s scariest drug,” and along the way tell a few of their own stories about being dosed with various substances.
Jenny Ashford is a horror and paranormal writer, graphic designer, and podcaster. Her books include three novels, Bellwether, The Five Poisons, and Red Menace; two short story collections, Hopeful Monsters and The Associated Villainies; a graphic novel, The Tenebrist; and four paranormal nonfiction works: The Unseen Hand: A New Exploration of Poltergeist Phenomena; The Mammoth Mountain Poltergeist, co-authored with Tom Ross; House of Fire and Whispers: Investigating the Seattle Demon House, and The Rochdale Poltergeist, both co-authored with parapsychologist Steve Mera. Her short stories have also appeared in several anthologies, including The Nightmare Collective, History Is Dead, 2012AD, ChimeraWorld #3, and ChimeraWorld #4.
Along with Tom Ross, she co-hosts a podcast called 13 O'Clock on the Project Entertainment Network, on which the duo discuss all measure of strange and creepy topics, ranging from the paranormal to true crime to historical mysteries to horror movies. She also makes videos for a sister list channel called 13 O'Clock In Minutes.
Jenny's graphic design work can be seen in marketing materials for Van Gogh Vodka, promo materials for bands including Astari Nite, Ending the Vicious Cycle, Withering Earth, Kids Without Heroes, and Sons of Ragnar, poster designs for Memento Mori at Independent Bar, Thee Grotto and Vengeance at the Haven in Orlando, and on the cover of The Young Atheist's Survival Guide by Hemant Mehta (aka The Friendly Atheist), among many other places. She also runs an online store called GraveCake selling products with her gothic and horror-themed designs.
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