Editing Scopolamine (section)

===Use in crime===
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=August 2024}}
Ingestion of scopolamine can render a victim unconscious for 24 hours or more. In large doses, it can cause respiratory failure and death. The highest prevalence of misuse seems to be recorded in [[Colombia]]. Unofficial estimates there put the number of annual scopolamine incidents at approximately 50,000. A travel advisory published by the [[Bureau of Diplomatic Security|U.S. Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)]] in 2012 stated: {{blockquote|One common and particularly dangerous method that criminals use to rob a victim is through the use of drugs. Scopolamine is most often administered in liquid or powder form in foods and beverages. The majority of these incidents occur in nightclubs and bars, and usually, men, perceived to be wealthy, are targeted by young, attractive women. It is recommended that to avoid becoming a victim of scopolamine, a person should never accept food or beverages offered by strangers or new acquaintances, nor leave food or beverages unattended in their presence. Victims of scopolamine or other drugs should seek immediate medical attention.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=12118 |title=Colombia 2012 Crime and Safety Report: Cartagena |date=4 March 2012 |publisher=[[Overseas Security Advisory Council]], [[United States Department of State]] |access-date=6 August 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315175638/https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=12118 |archive-date=15 March 2013 }}</ref>}}

Between 1998 and 2004, 13% of emergency-room admissions for "poisoning with criminal intentions" in a clinic of [[Bogotá]] have been attributed to scopolamine, and 44% to [[benzodiazepine]]s.<ref name="Uribe_et_al_2005"/> Most commonly, the person has been poisoned by a robber who gave the victim a scopolamine-laced beverage, in the hope that the victim would become unconscious or unable to effectively resist the robbery.<ref name="Uribe_et_al_2005"/>

Beside robberies, it is also allegedly involved in [[express kidnapping]]s and [[sexual assault]].<ref name="dom">{{cite news | vauthors = Domínguez I |title=Burundanga: the stealth drug that cancels the victim's willpower |url=http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/07/25/inenglish/1469445136_776085.html?id_externo_promo=ob-externo-english |date=25 July 2016 |access-date=12 August 2016 |work=Crime |agency=El País, Madrid |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820222322/http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/07/25/inenglish/1469445136_776085.html?id_externo_promo=ob-externo-english |archive-date=20 August 2016 }}</ref> In 2008, the Hospital Clínic in [[Barcelona]] introduced a [[Medical guideline|protocol]] to help medical workers identify cases. In February 2015, Madrid hospitals adopted a similar working document.<ref name="dom"/> Hospital Clínic has found little scientific evidence to support this use and relies on the victims' stories to reach any conclusion.<ref name="dom"/> 

Although poisoning by scopolamine appears quite often in the media as an aid for raping, kidnapping, killing, or robbery, the effects of this drug and the way it is applied by criminals (transdermal injection, on playing cards and papers, etc.) are often exaggerated,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hoax-slayer.com/burundanga-warning.shtml |title=Burundanga Business Card Drug Warning | website=Hoax-Slayer.com |date=12 October 2008|url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307163535/http://www.hoax-slayer.com/burundanga-warning.shtml| archive-date=7 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| url=http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/crime/a/burundanga.htm| title=Beware the Burundanga Man! |work=About.com Entertainment|access-date=19 December 2016| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110140952/http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/crime/a/burundanga.htm|archive-date=10 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/burundanga.asp |title=Burundanga/Scopolamine Warning| vauthors = Mikkelson D |work=snopes.com |access-date=19 December 2016}}</ref> especially skin exposure, as the dose that can be absorbed by the skin is too low to have any effect.<ref name="dom" /> Scopolamine transdermal patches must be used for hours to days.<ref name="White" /> 

There are certain other aspects of the usage of scopolamine in crimes. Powdered scopolamine is referred to as "devil's breath". In popular media and television, it is portrayed as a method to [[brainwashing|brainwash]] or control people into being defrauded by their attackers.<ref name="Case" >{{cite journal | vauthors = Reichert S, Lin C, Ong W, Him CC, Hameed S | title = Million dollar ride: Crime committed during involuntary scopolamine intoxication | journal = Canadian Family Physician | volume = 63 | issue = 5 | pages = 369–370 | date = May 2017 | pmid = 28500194 | pmc = 5429053 | url = https://www.cfp.ca/content/cfp/63/5/369.full.pdf | url-status = live | archive-date = 22 April 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210422180516/https://www.cfp.ca/content/cfp/63/5/369.full.pdf }}</ref> There is debate whether these claims are true.<ref>{{cite web |vauthors=Anderson L |title=Devil's Breath: Urban Legend or the World's Most Scary Drug? |url=https://www.drugs.com/illicit/devils-breath.html |website=Drugs.com |access-date=9 July 2019 |archive-date=23 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623203809/https://www.drugs.com/illicit/devils-breath.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2 September 2015 |title='Devil's breath' aka scopolamine: can it really zombify you? |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/shortcuts/2015/sep/02/devils-breath-aka-scopolamine-can-it-really-zombify-you |access-date=4 January 2019 |vauthors=Saner E |archive-date=4 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104180116/https://www.theguardian.com/society/shortcuts/2015/sep/02/devils-breath-aka-scopolamine-can-it-really-zombify-you |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mikkelson |first=Barbara |date=2008-05-11 |title=FACT CHECK: Burundanga/Scopolamine Warning |url=https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/burundangascopolamine-warning/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=Snopes |language=en}}</ref>