Stan Jones (Libertarian politician)

In his book The Disappearing Spoon, about the periodic table, author Sam Kean chronicled the experience of Jones, who developed argyria, which permanently turned his skin a blue-grey color, by consuming large quantities of home-made colloidal silver.^[1] Jones' purposeful consumption of silver, which he believed to be an antibiotic, was a measure he undertook in response to his fears that the Y2K problem would make antibiotics unavailable, an event that did not occur.^[1] The peculiar coloration of his skin featured prominently in media coverage of his unsuccessful campaign.^[2][3] Jones is reported to have said, given the chance to go back, he would do it all over again.^[1] Jones is not alone in his beliefs; the use of colloidal silver has found support from actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Infowars conspiracy theorist and colloidal silver salesman Alex Jones.^[4] The National Institutes of Health have stated that “evidence supporting health-related claims (of colloidal silver) is lacking”.^[4]

His stances on policy issues tend to be socially conservative; among other issues, he supports the death penalty, opposed same-sex marriage, and has called abortion a "crime against humanity."^[3][5] During the senatorial debate held on October 9, 2006, Jones proposed the unfounded conspiracy theory that a collaboration of European Union and North American elites are on the verge of forming a "one world communist government."^[6]

• Paul Karason, a man with a similar case of argyria caused by consumption of colloidal silver