That headline isn't a euphemism—people are actually getting high on an actual drug called "Nintendo." A potent club drug bearing the name and logo of the famed Japanese video game company has been spotted by drug watchdogs in Belgium. It sounds like it'll get you high as fuck, too.
The drug contains a large dose of MDMA, better known as Ecstasy. It's been catalogued in a new entry from the Belgian Early Warning System on Drugs, alongside a few similar drugs named for other knock-off brands: Mitsubishi, Superman, Li-Ion and Butterfly. Well, "Butterfly" isn't a brand, it's a pretty insect. Anyway.
My own experience with the world of drug manufacture and branding is mostly limited to regular rewatches of The Wire, but even I get the sense that this sort of brand piggybacking is common for drug dealers looking for memorable names for their product. Seeing as how the world of drugs isn't really governed by the rules of trademark and brand ownership, it makes sense that drug-makers would just lift an already-known brand. What's Nintendo going to do, sue them?
At Pillreports back in August of 2013, one guy recounted his experience with half a pill of Nintendo. Two hours in, things got more exciting than a heated Mario Kart match:
12pm - both rolling hard, i'm guessing because it's our first time its real strong for us, we're rolling everywhere, staring at my lampshade and laughing for ages, saying how pretty the walls and lights are! But my friend seems to be much higher than me so i drop the other half
1am - from this point on everything is a bit of a blur, the other half kicked in hard and i felt on top of the world, we were both so euphoric and empathetic we spent one second dancing and the next minute cuddling saying we loved each other (we're both straight, known each other since we were 10)but it just felt so right at the time HAHA
Whatever video game system they want to name it after, that sure sounds like drugs to me! And I know, I know, drug abuse can be serious business. It's not a laughing matter. But there are so many great Nintendo jokes that have yet to be made about this...
Top image via Shutterstock, second image via Belgian Early Warning System on Drugs