Truth drug
Encyclopedia
A truth drug or truth serum is a psychoactive medication used to obtain information from subjects who are unable or unwilling to provide it otherwise. The unethical use of truth drugs is classified as a form of torture
according to international law. However, they are properly and productively used in the evaluation of psychotic patients in the practice of psychiatry
. That application was first documented by Dr. William Bleckwenn
in 1930, and it still has selected uses today. In the latter context, the controlled administration of intravenous hypnotic medications is called "narcosynthesis
" or "narcoanalysis." It may be used to procure diagnostically—or therapeutically—vital information, and to provide patients with a functional respite from catatonia
or mania
.
Sedative
s or hypnotic
s that alter higher cognitive function include ethanol
, scopolamine
, 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate
, temazepam
, and various barbiturates including sodium thiopental
(commonly known as sodium pentothal) and sodium amytal (amobarbital
) (see figure at right).
that he or she cannot tell a lie while under its influence. Some observers also feel that amobarbital does not increase truth-telling, but merely increases talking; hence, both truth and fabrication are more likely to be revealed in that construct.
has used intravenous barbiturates for interrogation. One such case in which the CBI has used these techniques is the Noida double murder case. For many criminal cases, the use of these methods may violate the right against self incrimination. On May 5, 2010 the Supreme Court of India held that narco, polygraph and brain mapping tests violate article 20(3) of the Constitution.
service) claimed that a truth drug codenamed SP-117 was highly effective and has been widely used. According to him, "The 'remedy which loosens the tongue' has no taste, no smell, no colour, and no immediate side effects. And, most important, a person has no recollection of having the 'heart-to-heart talk'" and felt afterwards as if they suddenly fell asleep. Officers of the S directorate used the drug primarily to check the trustworthiness of their own illegal agents who operated overseas, including even heroes of the service, such as Vitaly Yurchenko
. According to Alexander Litvinenko
, Russian presidential candidate
Ivan Rybkin
was drugged with the same substance by FSB agents during his alleged kidnapping.
as seen in the U.S. Army and CIA interrogation manuals declassified by the Pentagon in 1996.
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
according to international law. However, they are properly and productively used in the evaluation of psychotic patients in the practice of psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
. That application was first documented by Dr. William Bleckwenn
William Bleckwenn
Dr. William Jefferson Bleckwenn was an American physician and psychiatrist who was instrumental in developing the treatment known as "narcoanalysis" or "narcosynthesis." The lay-description for that process is the administration of "truth serum."-Early years & education:Bleckwenn was born in...
in 1930, and it still has selected uses today. In the latter context, the controlled administration of intravenous hypnotic medications is called "narcosynthesis
Narcosynthesis
In psychology, narcosynthesis refers to a group of techniques which has its origins in the practice of "narco-hypnosis". Narco-hypnosis, as its name implies, is the use of various narcotics to induce various types of hypnotic states...
" or "narcoanalysis." It may be used to procure diagnostically—or therapeutically—vital information, and to provide patients with a functional respite from catatonia
Catatonia
Catatonia is a state of neurogenic motor immobility, and behavioral abnormality manifested by stupor. It was first described in 1874: Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein ....
or mania
Mania
Mania, the presence of which is a criterion for certain psychiatric diagnoses, is a state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, arousal, and/ or energy levels. In a sense, it is the opposite of depression...
.
Active chemical substances
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
s or hypnotic
Hypnotic
Hypnotic drugs are a class of psychoactives whose primary function is to induce sleep and to be used in the treatment of insomnia and in surgical anesthesia...
s that alter higher cognitive function include ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, scopolamine
Scopolamine
Scopolamine, also known as levo-duboisine, and hyoscine, is a tropane alkaloid drug with muscarinic antagonist effects. It is among the secondary metabolites of plants from Solanaceae family of plants, such as henbane, jimson weed and Angel's Trumpets , and corkwood...
, 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate
3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate
3-quinuclidinyl benzilate , IUPAC name 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]Oct-3-yl α-hydroxy-α-phenylbenzeneacetate, is an odorless military incapacitating agent. Its NATO code is BZ...
, temazepam
Temazepam
Temazepam is an intermediate-acting 3-hydroxy benzodiazepine. It is mostly prescribed for the short-term treatment of sleeplessness in patients who have difficulty maintaining sleep...
, and various barbiturates including sodium thiopental
Sodium thiopental
Sodium thiopental, better known as Sodium Pentothal , thiopental, thiopentone sodium, or Trapanal , is a rapid-onset short-acting barbiturate general anaesthetic...
(commonly known as sodium pentothal) and sodium amytal (amobarbital
Amobarbital
Amobarbital is a drug that is a barbiturate derivative. It has sedative-hypnotic and analgesic properties. It is a white crystalline powder with no odor and a slightly bitter taste. It was first synthesized in Germany in 1923...
) (see figure at right).
Reliability
According to prevailing medical thought, information obtained under the influence of intravenously-administered sodium amytal can be unreliable; subjects may mix fact and fantasy in that context. Skeptics imply that much of the claimed effect of the drug relies on the belief of the subjectPlacebo
A placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient...
that he or she cannot tell a lie while under its influence. Some observers also feel that amobarbital does not increase truth-telling, but merely increases talking; hence, both truth and fabrication are more likely to be revealed in that construct.
India
India's Central Bureau of InvestigationCentral Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
has used intravenous barbiturates for interrogation. One such case in which the CBI has used these techniques is the Noida double murder case. For many criminal cases, the use of these methods may violate the right against self incrimination. On May 5, 2010 the Supreme Court of India held that narco, polygraph and brain mapping tests violate article 20(3) of the Constitution.
Russia
A defector from the biological weapons department 12 of the KGB "illegals" (S) directorate (presently a part of Russian SVRSVR
- Meteorology :*SVR, the SAME code for a Severe Thunderstorm Warning- Technology :* Super Video Recording, a videocassette technology by Grundig, based upon the Philips Video Cassette Recording format* System V Release* SVR Technologies : , India....
service) claimed that a truth drug codenamed SP-117 was highly effective and has been widely used. According to him, "The 'remedy which loosens the tongue' has no taste, no smell, no colour, and no immediate side effects. And, most important, a person has no recollection of having the 'heart-to-heart talk'" and felt afterwards as if they suddenly fell asleep. Officers of the S directorate used the drug primarily to check the trustworthiness of their own illegal agents who operated overseas, including even heroes of the service, such as Vitaly Yurchenko
Vitaly Yurchenko
Vitaly Yurchenko is a former high-ranking KGB officer in the Soviet Union. In 1985, after 25 years of service in the KGB, he made a fake defection to the United States during an assignment in Rome. After providing the names of two U.S. intelligence officers who were KGB agents, Yurchenko slipped...
. According to Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Valterovich Litvinenko was an officer who served in the Soviet KGB and its Russian successor, the Federal Security Service ....
, Russian presidential candidate
Russian presidential election, 2004
Presidential elections were held in Russia on 14 March 2004. Incumbent Vladimir Putin was seeking a second full four-year term. He was re-elected with 71.31% of the vote.-Sergey Glazyev:...
Ivan Rybkin
Ivan Rybkin
Ivan Petrovich Rybkin is a Russian politician; was Chairman of Russia's State Duma in 1994–96 and Secretary of the Security Council in 1996–98.-Early life:...
was drugged with the same substance by FSB agents during his alleged kidnapping.
United States
Truth drugs have been used by the Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
as seen in the U.S. Army and CIA interrogation manuals declassified by the Pentagon in 1996.
Social
To many in modern society, truth serums or truth drugs are little more than myths. A majority of the world population live not knowing that such drugs exist. If the words "truth serum" are heard in society today, many minds will only refer back to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Though many reasons account for the lack in knowledge about truth drugs, much falls upon the fact that they are rarely used as in 1963 the US Supreme Court ruled confessions produced as a result of ingestion of truth serum was "unconstitutionally coerced", and therefore inadmissible. In reality, the drugs are used most by Intelligence Agencies and even so, only in the most drastic of circumstances.See also
- MicroexpressionMicroexpressionA microexpression is a brief, involuntary facial expression shown on the face of humans according to emotions experienced. They usually occur in high-stakes situations, where people have something to lose or gain. Unlike regular facial expressions, it is difficult to fake microexpressions...
- PolygraphPolygraphA polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
- Project MKULTRAProject MKULTRAProject MKULTRA, or MK-ULTRA, was the code name for a covert, illegal CIA human experimentation program, run by the CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence. This official U.S. government program began in the early 1950s, continued at least through the late 1960s, and used U.S...
- Project ChatterProject CHATTERProject CHATTER was a United States Navy program beginning in the fall of 1947 focusing on the identification and testing of drugs in interrogations and the recruitment of agents. Their search included laboratory experiments on both animal and human subjects...
- Project Bluebird
- Human experimentationHuman experimentationHuman subject research includes experiments and observational studies. Human subjects are commonly participants in research on basic biology, clinical medicine, nursing, psychology, and all other social sciences. Humans have been participants in research since the earliest studies...
Further reading
- Brown, David. "Some Believe 'Truth Serums' Will Come Back", The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, Monday 20 November 2006; page A08.