Some of my fellow New Zealanders are feeding P to their pitbulls to make them more aggressive. This is thrilling news for armchair spectators of suburban mayhem, although I couldn't blame Damian for keeping his cat indoors until the matter is resolved.
But once more it turns out that there is nothing new under the sun. I turn to the Internet and discover that from 1942, Adolf Hitler received daily injections of methamphetamine from his personal physician, Dr Theodor Morell. Talk about putting out fire with gasoline.
In Hitler's Wehrmacht, methamphetamine tablets branded as Pervitin were liberally distributed to German fighting troops throughout the War. Amphetamines are "power drugs" that reduce fatigue, heighten aggression, and diminish human warmth and empathy.
Wherever you strike aberrant behaviour, the presence of drugs may well provide the explanation.
MDMA, most commonly known today by the street name ecstasy, is a semisynthetic entactogen of the phenethylamine family, whose primary effect is to induce a general sense of openness, empathy, energy, euphoria, and well-being. Tactile sensations are enhanced for some users, making physical contact with others more pleasurable.
Contrary to popular belief, MDMA does not necessarily produce aphrodisiac effects.
LSD is a whole other cauldron of airborne bats. The drug sometimes leads to disintegration or restructuring of the user's historical personality and creates a mental state that some users report allows them to have more choice regarding the nature of their own personality.
Tui, however, is a drug without consequence. Its only effect is to hook you up with hot chicks.