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 Oklahoma 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. Teens are listening to such tracks as “Gates of Hades,” which is available on YouTube gratis (yes, the first one is always free). 
 
 Those who want to get addicted to the “drugs” can purchase tracks that will purportedly bring about the same effects of marijuana, cocaine, opium and peyote. While street drugs rarely come with instruction manuals, potential digital drug users are advised to buy a 40-page guide so that they learn how to properly get high on MP3s. 
 
 Oklahoma’s Mustang Public School district isn’t taking the threat lightly, and sent out a letter to parents warning them of the new craze. The educators have gone so far as to ban iPods at school, in hopes of preventing honor students from becoming cyber-drug fiends, News 9 reports. 
 
 Here’s a video of one wholesome kid getting high — startlingly so — on an MP3: 
 
 We at Threat Level are stunned and have hundreds of questions. 
 
 Will future presidential candidates defend their i-dosing past by saying, “But I had it on mute”? Are we supposed to declare a war on cyberdrugs or a cyberwar on cyberdrugs? How will police know if a teen is with headphones on is i-dosing or just listening to Justin Bieber? Is the iPod the bong of the future? What would happen if some ne’er-do-well took over the console of the Super Bowl and dosed the entire country? What if kids smoked dried banana peels and listened to these trippy tunes at the same time — could they OD? What happens if someone sells a tainted MP3? 
 
 Perhaps most importantly, what will happen if the kids move onto harder stuff like Steve Reich, Philip Glass or even Janet Cardiff’s installation, “The Killing Machine“? 
 
 Here’s a sample of the heavy stuff that some light experimentation with drug drone music could lead to. (Note: The following video is only for informational purposes and should only be viewed by responsible adults.) 
 
 Correction: This post placed the Mustang school district in Kansas, when it’s actually in Oklahoma. Kansas, the band, however might not be safe for teens, and could be a gateway band to harder, more dangerous psychedelic fare like Pink Floyd. 
 
 Photo: Worldizen/Flickr 
 
 See Also: ||||| You’re probably asking yourself: “How the hell is it possible to get high digitally?” Well, you know those ecstasy-hungry and internet-savvy teens are always looking for the next big high. And apparently, one only needs a set of headphones, an MP3 player, and an internet connection to experience “i-dosing,” which involves purchasing “digital drugs” from a dealer on a website. 
 
 So what are these drugs? Basically, it’s just “music” or largely a droning sound. These sites promise the teens that they only need to listen to the tracks to experience the same effects as marijuana, cocaine, opium, and peyote. One of the tracks teens are listening to is “Gates of Hades,” which is available for free on YouTube, but I’m guessing these online dealers are banking on teens needing a stronger high after awhile. Then, the teens will come to their site looking for something better, but will need a 40-page guide to help them learn how to get a proper digital high. 
 
 I-dosing sounds like a load of bologna to me. A rip-off! I listened to a few minutes of “Gates of Hades” and the only feeling I felt was annoyance. The droning sound reminded me of the test used to determine hearing ability. I have a feeling that most of these tracks would become white noise after awhile. My theory is that these teens think they’re experiencing a sense of ecstasy because they’re supposed to. It’s all in their heads, and not the way real drugs are. But still, parents should be cautious because if their child is willing to try this, then what else will they do to get high? [Wired via Impact Lab]
– The latest drug trend sweeping the nation has nothing to do with pharmaceuticals. Kids are getting high on MP3s, Wired reports, pointing to an Oklahoma News 9 report (at left) on the phenomenon known as “i-dosing.” Supposedly, just by putting on headphones and listening to music—which is really “a droning noise,” writes Ryan Singel—you can experience effects similar to those of marijuana, cocaine, opium, and peyote. Officials are concerned i-dosing will act as a gateway drug to actual drugs, but Singel doesn’t seem too concerned: The most pressing issue is how to tell “if a teen with headphones on is i-dosing or just listening to Justin Bieber.” Annika Harris of The Frisky agrees: She listened to “Gates of Hades,” one of the free i-dosing tracks, “and the only feeling I felt was annoyance,” she writes.