No- This Can't Be Serious

From Wired.com earlier in the week came this headline:

Report: Teens Using Digital Drugs to Get High
By Ryan Singel

Kids around the country are getting high on the internet, thanks to MP3s that induce a state of ecstasy. And it could be a gateway drug leading teens to real-world narcotics.

At least, that’s what Kansas News 9 is reporting about a phenomenon called “i-dosing,” which involves finding an online dealer who can hook you up with “digital drugs” that get you high through your headphones.

And officials are taking it seriously.

“Kids are going to flock to these sites just to see what it is about and it can lead them to other places,” Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs spokesman Mark Woodward told News 9.

I-dosing involves donning headphones and listening to “music” — largely a droning noise — which the sites peddling the sounds promise will get you high

Read More http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/07/digital-drugs/#ixzz0tiBg5JJo

I did some looking and found one called "I Doser Sound Stimulants" and other information. What I can gather is it is kind of a viral video/sound idea that messes with your mind by the manipulation of sound waves of different types in each stereo channel. Then, when it gets into your head it does odd mixing and supposedly produces alpha, beta, etc. waves.

Some videos on You Tube claim to show people using one or another of the i-doses. Others say it is malarkey or at best a placebo effect.

Now, I know that music can certainly have "hypnotic" or other effects. But

a) to come up with weird musical sounds and say they are like particular drugs or
b) to believe that we should therefore ban iPods and mp3 players or
c) both of the above

is to be living in a state of denial, fear, or just plain nuttiness.

Of course, when we begin to have to treat people with meth sound addiction, maybe I'll believe it.