Imagine you developed elixir of truth to eradicate all lies on the planet, putting an end of politicians deceiving voters with misinformation campaigns and stopping greedy marketing guru from pitching “yet another get rich quick scheme”.
What a wonderful world it would be if everyone took a sip of your miracle “truth serum,” right? Wrong. Instead of utopia, it would likely set the world ablaze—throwing stock markets into turmoil, shattering international relations, crushing business alliances, and upending millions of families overnight.
As one of my favorite movie doctor kept saying: “Everybody lies”. Luckily for our civilization, most people lie to each other for a reason. Some of those reasons might be even noble – to avoid giving in secretes to the adversary. We call it “patriotism”—the unwavering resolve of an individual to stay silent, no matter the circumstances, when faced with those they consider enemies.
Secret services around the history of human kind have been trying to find a way to get the truth from the adversaries. And throughout history, secret services have relentlessly sought ways to extract the truth from their adversaries. Torture was likely one of the earliest methods used to force confessions. In Orwell’s iconic 1984, Winston is mercilessly broken by the regime until every ounce of rebellion within him is crushed.
In this article we will explore what one might consider a more humane way of extracting secret information from the captives. Truth serums are chemical substances designed to impair a person’s ability to exercise judgment and conceal information, making them more susceptible to revealing hidden truths.
Although some of them were used or tested by “serious” secret services, no drug has been proven to reliably force truthfulness, and information obtained under their influence is often unreliable.
Common “Truth Serum” Substances
Alcohol
Historically, alcohol was the first “elixir of trust” (although an elixir is often something dissolved in ethanol, which helped to loosen the tongues of several dozen courtiers, likely preventing multiple acts of treason.
“A drunk mind speaks a sober heart”. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that impairs higher brain functions, particularly in the neocortex, which governs reasoning, impulse control, and social awareness.
As these regulatory centers weaken, individuals may speak more freely, sometimes revealing personal thoughts or confidential information without considering the consequences. However, this also means that their statements may be exaggerated, distorted, or completely unreliable.
Sodium Pentothal (Thiopental Sodium)
- A barbiturate that induces a sedative state, sometimes lowering inhibitions.
- Used by intelligence agencies and police in historical interrogations.
- Often portrayed in movies as a classic truth serum.
Sodium Amytal (Amobarbital)
- Another barbiturate with effects similar to Sodium Pentothal.
- Used in psychiatric applications to help patients recall repressed memories.
- Some law enforcement and intelligence agencies experimented with it.
Scopolamine
- A powerful anticholinergic drug derived from plants like deadly nightshade.
- Used in early 20th-century interrogations but caused confusion and hallucinations.
- Known as “Devil’s Breath” when used as a criminal drug to induce suggestibility.
Midazolam
- A benzodiazepine with amnesic and sedative properties.
- Used in some controversial interrogations.
- More likely to cause compliance rather than truthfulness.
Chloral Hydrate
- A sedative-hypnotic drug historically used for sleep induction.
- Has depressant effects but is not reliable as a truth serum.
LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)
The CIA experimented with LSD under Project MKUltra to determine if it could be used as a mind-control or truth serum agent.Instead of truthfulness, it caused hallucinations and paranoia.
Effectiveness and Ethical Concerns
None of these drugs reliably force truthfulness; they mostly lower inhibitions, making people more talkative or suggestible.
Many governments have banned or abandoned their use due to ethical and legal concerns.
Information obtained under these substances is often inaccurate or mixed with false memories.
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