Cops from Florida's Collier County have created a bit of a shitstorm stir by declaring that local high school kids are getting high on fermented "fecal matter and urine", known as "Jenkem", or "Butthash"

According to The Smoking Gun, the memo itself - issued by Lieutenant Al Ganich - is real enough, and a shocking read it makes too.

It explains: "The fecal matter and urine are placed in a bottle or jar and covered most commonly with a balloon. The container is then placed in a sunny area for several hours or days until fermented.

"The contents of the container will separate and release a gas, which is captured in the balloon. Inhaling the gas is said to have a euphoric high similar to ingesting cocaine but with strong hallucinations of times past."

Good Lord. The memo continues: "Once ingested the onset of the high takes approximately 10 seconds with the most severe hallucinations happening in approximately 20 minutes. Several articles indicate that the subject immediately passes out after ingesting the gas then regains a magical/hallucinogenic state within seconds of regaining consciousness.

"The high has been described by subjects as a feeling of 'being out of it' and talking to dead people. The feeling of being 'out of it' may last for several hours or days. All subjects who used the Jenkem disliked the taste of sewage in their mouth and the fact that the taste continued for several days."

Well, the outrage merited a TV news follow-up, which casts a few doubts on whether Florida kiddies are really getting out of their boxes on brewed crap.

The Smoking Gun, meanwhile, says it's tried to contact Lieutenant Ganich, but he hasn't returned the calls. The site notes: "Perhaps he's realized that his "CONFIDENTIAL" September 26 report... may be itself full of shit."

Well, the jury's out. Snopes.com's take on this possible urban myth in the making is that its status is "undetermined". ®