Digital drugs could lead young people to try intoxicants, a Sharjah doctor warned.
“The real danger of digital drugs is that young people would be tempted to try real drugs,” Dr Qassem Amer, the head of the Statistical Division of the Sharjah Police Research Center, said at the Sharjah International Book Fair last weekend.
He was referring to binaural beats or audio tracks that have historically been used to treat conditions such as mild depression and anxiety, but which reportedly also simulate the effect of recreational drugs. Discovered in 1839 by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove, they have also been thought to help people memorize and learn, stop smoking, help dieting, tackle erectile dysfunction and improve athletic performance.
However, Dr Amer dismissed their effects as a myth, adding that there is no scientific evidence regarding the negative effects of Digital Drugs or the fact that they cause any form of addiction.
“The assumption is that the brain responds to two frequencies entering from the left and right ear in a way that stimulates it and in doing so creating the illusion of an altered state of mind that is similar to the state of mind that follows drugs consumption,” he said, adding that international research shows that marketing strategy of these websites include telling users that they must follow a list of instructions, including drinking water before listening to the beats to give the illusion of authenticity.
“The prices of these audio tracks range from $3 (Dh11) to $30 and some websites claim that they can create a customized track based on your needs but of course the price is higher, around $100,” he said.
Dr. Amer explained that even though videos on the internet show young people going through moments of ecstasy and showing an acceleration in their breath and heart beats, in reality this is not true. He explained that in order to feel any effect, the person needs to be already consuming drugs. That doesn't mean they're safe, however, as users looking to achieve the advertised effects may be attracted to narcotic and psychotropic substances.
