[prairiebreeze]

Barbiturates such as scopolamine, sodium amytal, and sodium pentothal were first touted as truth serums in the early 20th century. Because they inhibit control of the central nervous system, truth serums were supposed to induce a hypnotic "twilight" state that elicited a mechanical recitation of truth. In reality, though, the only good truth serums are found in bad science fiction.

The above link was from Does Truth Serum Work? at Slate/MSNBC. They contend it doesn't work, no suprise there.

I have wondered though, if the govt doesn't have it's own potions mixed up that isn't let into public knowlege. But those are my musings.

[Common Tator]

Interrogation techniques.

I have not heard of an effective truth serum. But it would seem to me that we must have spent a ton of money on developing such chemicals both during the cold war and during the war on terror. But spending money on research does not equal success. IT does not even follow that such a chemical compound is possible.

My Dad was an expert interrogator. Lots of law enforcement agencies in Ohio would ask Dad to do interrogations on tough cases. All Dad needed was for the subject to talk. Over time Dad, with out ever using any strong arm tactics, could learn the truth. It usually did not take him more than a couple of sessions to get to the truth about what he wanted to know.

Dad used to say, If I can get them to tell me enough lies I can deduce the truth.