Bananadine

Bananadine is a fictional psychoactive substance which is supposedly extracted from the skins of bananas. It was first mentioned in the Berkeley Barb in March 1967, and subsequently spread to other underground press publications, leading to widespread belief in its existence.

History

The first known reference to bananadine was in the Berkeley Barb in March 1967. The article, which was presented as a factual report, claimed that bananadine was a psychoactive substance that could be extracted from banana peels. This claim was subsequently picked up by other underground press publications, leading to widespread belief in the existence of bananadine.

The hoax was further propagated by the 1971 book The Anarchist Cookbook, which included a recipe for "bananadine" that involved scraping the inside of a banana peel and boiling it to produce a smokable substance. This recipe was later debunked by experts, who pointed out that bananas do not contain any psychoactive substances.

Despite this, belief in the existence of bananadine persisted for many years, and it has been referenced in various forms of popular culture, including music, literature, and film.

Effects

As a fictional substance, bananadine does not have any actual effects. However, the original Berkeley Barb article claimed that it produced a hallucinogenic effect similar to that of LSD or mescaline. This claim was entirely without basis in fact.

In popular culture

Bananadine has been referenced in various forms of popular culture. For example, it is mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Mellow Yellow" by Donovan, and it is the subject of the song "Bananadine" by The Flaming Lips. It has also been referenced in literature and film, including the novel Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace and the film Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino.

See also

• List of fictional psychoactive substances
• Psychoactive substance
• Hoax

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