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ErowidLSD(Acid)Vault:LSDPurity:GospelandHeresy

CHEMICALS lsd

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LSDPurityGospelandHeresy
BYANONYMOUS
1995
HyperrealDrugArchivesandalt.drugs

Citation:Anonymous."LSDPurityGospelandHeresy".alt.drugs,archivedonErowid.org.1995.

MessageID:<094303Z19031995@anon.penet.fi>
Newsgroups:alt.drugs,alt.drugs.psychedelics
From:an188749@anon.penet.fi
Date:Sun,19Mar199509:41:30UTC
Subject:LSDPurityGospelandHeresy

LSDPurityGospelandHeresy

_______________________________________________________________________________

TableofContents

I.THEGOSPEL
A.TheSyllogism
B.EmpiricalEvidence:lsd.data
II.AHERETICALVIEWPOINT
A.AnAnalysisoftheSyllogism
B.Whatlsd.dataProves
C.SubjectiveEvidenceSupportingtheHeresy
D.WeighingSubjectiveEvidenceAgainsttheGospel
E.Anecdotes
III.GUIDEBOOKFORUNBELIEVERS
A.SubjectiveIndicationsofQuality
B.Precautions
C.Storage
IV.THEGOSPELANDTHEPOLITICSOFLSD
APPENDIX:HolyScriptureRevisited
_______________________________________________________________________________

I.THEGOSPEL
Inreadingalt.drugs.*andtheliteratureonLSDinftp.hyperreal.com,it
isclearthattherehasemergedacentraldogmaaboutLSDpurity(andquality).
Itholdsthatallacidintheformofblottersisineffectindistinguishable
fromperfectlymanufacturedLSD25.Personssuggestingthattheremaybe
variationsinqualityarederidedandtoldtoreadtheFAQ(holyscripture).
TheGospelappearstobebasedonthefollowingsyllogism,andbackedup
byempiricalevidencefoundinthefilelsd.data.Subjectiveevidence
supportingoropposingtheGospelisconsideredworthlessgiventheimportance
ofsetandsettingintheLSDexperience.

A.TheSyllogism
ThesyllogismonwhichtheGospelisbasedgoessomethinglikethis:
Giventhat:

1)Atypicalblottercanonlyholdabout200ugofdrugmaterial.

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2)ThedisomerofLSD(LSD25)istheonlydrugwhichispsychoactive

insuchquantities.
Therefore:

3)Allillicit'acid'packagedinblotterformowesallofits

psychoactiveeffectstoLSD25andthusanydifference

insubjectiveorphysicaleffectsareentirelyduetodifference

indose,set,orsetting.
Iintendtoindulgeintheheresyofattemptingto'refute'thisfundamental
tenetoftheGospel,whichIwillalsorefertoas'theDoctrine'.
Butbeforeproceedingtoventmyblasphemies,Isupportmysynopsisofthe
Doctrineanditssupportingsyllogismbyquotingdirectlyfromscripture:
(fromftp.hyperreal.com::drugs/psychedelics/lsd/FAQLSD)
>ADULTERANTS:
>
>Severalproblemsareassociatedwithstreetdrugs:theirunknown
>purityandtheirunknownstrength.Becauseofitsextremecheapness
>andpotency,thepurityofLSDinblotterformisnotanissue:either
>it'slsdoruntreatedpaper.Thepurityofpowders,pills,andliquids
>cannotbeassumedassafe.Withregardstouncertainstrength,the
>strengthofhitsthesedaysislow,100microgramsorso.Oneshould
>becarefulandassumethatthesmallestsquareinatilingofasheet
>isadose,evenifaprintedpatterncoversseveral.Anexperienced
>personcouldjudgethestrengthofadose,andifitisassumedall
>dosesonasheethavebeenprocessedequivalently,thosedoseswould
>becalibratedforothers,muchlikeanythingelse.
>
>..............................
>
>From_PsychedelicChemistry_byM.V.Smith,2ndeditionp5:
>
>"Thereisagreatdealofsuperstitionregardingpurificationof
>psychedelics.Actually,anyimpuritieswhichmaybepresentasa
>resultofsyntheticprocedureswillalmostcertainlybewithoutany
>effectonthetrip.Ifthereare200microgramsofLSDinatablet,
>therecouldonlybe200micsofimpuritiespresenteveniftheLSDwas
>originallyonly50%pure(assumingnothingelsehasbeenadded),and
>fewcompoundswillproduceasignificanteffectuntilahundredtoa
>thousandtimesthisamounthasbeeningested.Evenmescaline,which
>hasaratherspecificpsychedeliceffect,requiresaboutathousand
>thimesthisamount."
Itisinterestingtonotehowmuchofscriptureisbasedontheimmortal
wordsofthetrueprophetMichaelValentineSmith.SeetheAPPENDIXfor
blasphemousattacksonthisvenerableprophet.

B.EmpiricalEvidence:lsd.data
Althoughtheaboveargumentusuallysufficesforthefaithful,thedoubters
canretrieveadocument'lsd.data'fromtheholyarchiveswhichlists
resultsofPharmChemanalysesofallegedLSDsamplesin1973and1974.
ThisshouldremoveanydoubtthatthepreparationssoldasLSDarein
facttherealMcCoy.

II.AHERETICALVIEWPOINT
Iintendtoadvancethehereticalviewpointthatthereistremendousvariation
inthequalityofdrugsfoundinblotters,andthatfewsuchpreparations
illicitlyavailablesincethemid1970sevencomeclosetopureLSD25
inthecapacityforexpandingconsciousness.
InthefollowingIfirstexaminethesyllogismthenmovetoadiscussion
ofsubjectiveeffectsandanecdotesaboutpurity.

A:AnanalysisoftheSyllogism
Inowproceedtoexaminetheassumptionsandconclusionsofthesyllogism
outlinedabove

1)Ablottercanonlyholdabout200ugofdrugmaterial

Notnecessarilytrue.Blottersvaryinsize,someweighinguptoseveral
milligramsinweight,andIhaveseenblottersthatweresaturatedwith
addedmaterials.Iwillexamine(2)and(3)together.

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2)OnlythedisomerofLSDisactiveinsuchquantity
3)Allillicit'acid'packagedinblotterformowesallofits
psychoactiveeffectstoLSD25andthusanydifference
insubjectiveorphysicaleffectsareentirelyduetodifference
indose,set,orsetting.

Nottrue.
1:Severalother*known*drugsareactiveinsuchquantities.
Hereareafew,listedwithtypicalpsychoactivedoses:

drug

dose(ug)

LSD

1001000

nicotine

300

scopolamine

500

atropine

500

carbachol

200

aminopentamide
500

colchicine

100

fentanyl

100

etorphine

100

resperine

250
Someofthesedrugsareverycheapandeasytoobtain,suchas
socpolamineandatropine.Evenmethamphetamineisactiveindoses
aslowas1mg.
2:LSD25maypotentiateothermaterialsthatarenormallyinactive.
EvenminuteammountsofamphetaminecansignificantlypotentiateLSD,
andchangethequalityoftheeffect.Thesamemaybetrueofother
lysergicacidderivativesandbyproductsinablotter.
3:AllthediscussionIhaveseenaboutpsychoactivebyproductsandresidues
inblottershasfocusedonknownsuchknownproductsasthe4isomersof
LSD,variationsontheanidegroup,knownlysergicamines,etc.
Theinformationaboutthesechemicalsappearstobebasedonassays
ofextractionandsynthesisproductsbasedonhighqualityprocesses
usingmaterialsandreagentsofpharmaceuticalquality.Whatgoeson
inillicitdruglabsmaybeanentirelydifferentstory.
Question:Whathappenswhenyousubstitutethehydrogensonanyofthe
variouspositionsofthelysergicbackbonewithsomeotherelementor
compound?Howdodifferencesinsaturationaffectitsqualities?
IfthebasemoleculeisLSDitmaystillhaveveryhighpotency,but
qualitativelyverydifferent(eg:muddled)effects.
4:ThemechanismbywhichLSDaltersconsciousnessisnotunderstood.
Thefactthatonly0.001%ofadosecrossesthebloodbrainbarrier,
anditleavesthebrainwithinanhoursuggeststhatit'smechanism
ofactionisverydifferentfrommostdrugs,sogeneralizationsabout
purity/qualitybasedonotherdrugsshouldbeusedwithcaution.
Perhapstherearephenomenaofsynchronization,synergy,orresonance
intheneuralresponsepatternstoLSDthataredisruptedormuted
bythepresenceofvariantsofLSDatLSDreceptors(iftheyexist).
Wesimplydon'tknow,andtopretendwecanspeakwithcertaintyabout
suchthingsistoindulgeinhubris.

B:Whatlsd.dataProves
Theanalysisresultsinlsd.dataprovesthatthevastmajorityofalleged
LSDsamplesanalyzedin1973and1974testedpositiveforLSD,anddidnottest
positiveforwhateverotherdrugstheyweretestingfor.Relevantquestions
include:HowselectiveweretheLSDidentificationtestsused?andHowmany
otherdrugsweretestedfor?Inanycase,basedonnumerousreports,Ibelieve
mostoftheacidavailableduringthoseyearswasofhighqualityandwas
similarifnotidenticaltoLSD25.Theconsistencyofqualitydidn'tstart
toplummetuntilthemid1970s,dueinparttorestrictedavailabilityof
chemicalsrequiredforsynthesis.Arecentpost(arguinginfavorofthe
Doctrine)isinstructive.
:
>Inthe60s,itneverseemedthatcertaincharachteristicswereassignedto
>differentbatches.Acidwasacid.Onlywhenprintedblottersreally
>startedtakingoffinthelate70s(replacingpills,microdots,windowpane,
>etc)didpeoplestartgivingcharachteristicstoblotter.

C:SubjectiveEvidenceSupportingtheHeresy
ThereisabundantsubjectiveevidencethatsincetheprohibitionofLSD,and
particularlysincethemid1970stheillicitpsychoactivepreparationshaving
effectivedosesinthesubmilligramrange(egblotters),calledacidorLSD,
havebaselineeffects(independentofdose,set,orsetting)whichvaryover

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awidespectrum.
Thisdistributionofeffectsmaybehighlymodalandcentralized,withthe
vastmajorityofacidavailableatagiventimehavingverysimilareffects,
perhapsevencommingfromonlyafewsources;andthismaygiveuserswhohave
onlysampledacidforafewyearstheimpressionthatit'sallthesame,and
thuslittlereasontodoubtit'sauthenticityorquality.
However,virtuallyanyconnoisseurofacidwhohasadiscerningmindandagood
memory,andhassampledillicitofferingsforseveraldecades(startingin
the60'sorearly70's)knowsthatqualityisaveryrealandimportantissue.
Iwillleaveittothereadertoseekouttheopinionsofveteransofthethe
firstpsychedelicera.

D:WeighingSubjectiveEvidenceAgainsttheGospel
ThesyllogismsupportingtheDoctrinehasgapingholesinit.
It,incombinationwithothersupportingevidence,maytendtosupportthecase:
[a]Mostblotteracidisowesmostofitsactivitytolysergicacid

derivatiesstructurallysimilartoLSD(andperhapstestingpositive

forit).
Butitcertainlydoesn'tmakethecase:
[b]AllblotteracidowesallofitsactivitytoLSD25,whose

pharmacologicalactionisunmodifiedbyimpurities.
Whatcanonelearnfromsubjectiveexperiencesinducedbyacid?
TheproponentsofthecentraldogmacontendthatsincetheeffectsofLSD
arehighlysusceptibletoset,setting,anddose,users'attributionsof
differencesineffectstodifferencesinthedrugaregroundless.
Itistruethatvariablessuchasset,settinganddoseareextremely
influentialindeterminingthesubjectiveeffectsofLSD.InfacttheLSD
experienceisprobablymoresusceptabletotheseeffectsthananyotherdrug
known.Thisdoesnotmeanthatadiscerninguserisincapableofseparating
toasignificantorhighdegreesuchvariablesfromvariationsindrugquality.
Itisverymuchafunctionoftheaptitudeandexperienceoftheuser.
Somepeoplecanreadilydistinguishtheeffectsofpuremescalinefromthose
ofthemixtureofalkaloidsfoundinPeyote.Otherscan'tdistinguishbetween
thedistinctlydifferenteffectsofPsilocybinandLSD.
Toillustratethecapacityfordiscriminatingbetweendrugqualityandother
variablesIofferthefollowingmetaphor:
ThinkofLSDasawindowthroughwhichyoulookintoadifferentworld.
Yourpositionrelativetothewindow,andwhatisontheothersiderepresents
setandsetting.Theclarityofthewindowrepresentsthequalityofthedrug.
Nowyourpositionandthesceneoutsidethewindowcanchangedramatically,
butreguardlessyouarestillcapableofperceivingtheclarityofthewindow.
Moreover,ifyouhadneverlookedthroughawindowbefore,andyouwere
givenacloudyonetolookthroughandtolditwasLSD,youwouldhaveno
reasontodoubtitsauthenticitybecauseyouhaveneverhadtheexperienceof
lookingthroughaclearone.

E:Anecdotes
Thefollowingaccountsarepresentedasevidencethatblottersmaycontain
psychoactivesubstancesthatproduceeffectsquitedifferentfromLSD.
Notethattheseaccountsrepresentextremeandatypicalexperienceswith
blotteracidandarepresentedtorefutetheDoctrine,nottocountercase
[a],above.
1:aluminizedLSD?
1978(5pointstarpatternwhitepaper):
Iwentforabikeride,andtookanaluminumcanteenthathadwatersitting
initforalongtime.Iputblotteronmytoungeandwasheditdownwith
thecanteenwater.Within30minutesIstartedtonoticedeffects,but
notlikeacid.Theywereveryroughandjolting.Therewasaviolent
flashinginmyvisualfield.Igotoffmybikeandwentintothewoods.
Istartedtogetjolting,crampingfeelingsthroughoutmynervoussystem.
Theseveryunpleasantphysicalsymptomscompletelyovershadowedany
psychiceffects.Iwasundergoingwhatseemedtobeaconvulsiveattack,
andfearedformylife.Afterseveralhours,theeffectsdiminished,and
Irodehome.Icalledmyfriendwhogavemethehitsandhewasshocked
tohearofmyexperience,havingcertifiedthatitwasgoodacid.Having
completetrustinhim,Icameupwiththehypothesisthataluminuminthe
waterhadreactedwiththeacidtoyieldaproductwithstrychninelike
effects.Icautiouslysampledanotherhit.Thistimeitwascompletely
smoothwithnophysicalsymptoms.Subsequenttripsonthesamebatchwere

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alsosmoothwithnormalacidlikepsychiceffects.
2:tropaneacid?
1987(orangeblottersseeminglysaturatedwithmaterial)
IhavehadhundredsofacidtripsandonetriponDaturaStranorum
(containingtropanealkaloidssuchasscopolamine).Thisacidresembled
DaturamorecloselythanmostotheracidI'vehad.Itwasn'tvery
mindexpanding,butwasverydreamy,andvisionwasslightlyblurred.
Thevisualswereofthecholinergictype,notthenorepinepherinorserotonin
type.Ithadaslightlydissociativeeffectuncharacteristicofnormalacid.
TherewasalsoaharshfeelinginmyheartnotunlikeoneIhadonthe
Daturatrip.
3:'speedy'acid
1979(redblotter):
Ihavetakenafewdifferentblotterswhichhadeffectsresembling
amphetaminemorethanLSD.Thiswasparticularlytrueofthisdose.
Theeffectswerealreadystrongafter45minutes(insteadofthe1hour
waitbeforethestartoftheclimbcharacteristicofLSD).Thedepth,
subtleties,colors,highlyconnectedpatterns,vividimagination,and
multiplicityandlibertyofthoughtcharacteristicofLSDwereabsent.
Insteadtherewasanurgentmatteroffactqualityofthought;afeelingof
beingpushedagainstmywill.Colorperceptionwasflattened,dominatedby
monochromes,especiallyred.Kinesthetic,tactile,andvisualperceptions
overtimeseemedtomeltintoakindofblur.

III.GUIDEBOOKFORUNBELIEVERS
A:SubjectiveIndicationsofQuality
Thefollowingtableisprovidedasaresourceforevaluatingtheeffects
ofacid.Effectsofotherdrugsarelistedforcomparisonpurposes.
Scoresarenormalizedfordose,meaningthatagivenscoreisexpressed
asaratiototheoveralleffectofthedrug.Thus,forexample,taking
largerdosesofscopolaminecannotbeusedtoapproximateLSDlikesynesthetic
experiences,asothereffectsofthedrug,suchasdelirium,getintheway.
Similardoserelatedphenomenalimitthemindexpandingcapacitiesofmost
acid.
Note:thistableisbasedonextensivebutimperfectdata,andnecessarily
involvessubjectiveelements.Readerswhodisagreewithmyscoringare
encouragedtowritemewiththeiropinions,whichwillallmetoimprove
mydata.

codedrug

LSDLSD25
LAAcrudelysergicamines,fromHBWR
Mesmescaline
TMATMA
Ampmethamphetamine
Psipsilocin
Scoscopolamine&atropine
acidvariousblotteracid197592

effectLSDLAAMesTMAAmpPsiScoacid

pharmacology:
dose(mg)

0.38800303302<2
onset(hours)1.01.00.70.50.40.41.50.51.0
peak(hours)3.03.54.03.03.01.63.52.03.0
termination(hours)12815151568610
physiological:
pupildilation786537959
nausea182234018
increasedheartrate223462427
perceptual:
transparencyofhallucinations865434225
informationcontentofhallucinations996723115
symmetryofhallucinations669624015
detailofhallucinations937613106
sequentialafterimagesor'trails'748424117
colorenhancement629517005
Synesthesia947524115
cognitive:
concentration749523034
association827325215

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taskimpairment253215949
memoryofexperience679846524
subjective:
expansiveness829514115
timedilation825446026
exaggeration,caricature935327016
emotivecontentofhallucinations554327814
imagination/fantasy937315615
recollective:
longtermmemoryaccessibility935322113
accesstosubconscious936413203
selfperception:
egodissolution966415128
outofbodyexperience765425828
sideeffects:
postexperiencelethargy022033405
residualheadaches000002506

B:Precautions
Bewareofblotterswhichhaveabittertastorappeartobestainedwithcolor.
LSDistastelessandcolorless.
Whenfirstsamplingacidfromabatchofunknownquality,takeafraction
ofadosageunittoascertainthequalityandstrengthofeffects.
Payattentiontotheonset,anddurationofeffects,andtosideeffects.
Iftheexperienceissmooth,freeofnoticablesideeffects,andmatches
theprofileofLSDreasonablywell,considerdoublingthedosagenexttime
(afteratleast3dayshaveelapsed).

C:Storage
Oxygen,UVlight,andmoisturedegradeLSD,andtherateofmostreactions
increasesatleastwiththesquareoftheabsolutetemperature.Therefore
itshouldbekepttightlywrappedincellophane(crinkly)plastic
(notpolyethyleneoraluminum,whichmayreactwithit),and,iffeasible,
refrigerated.Itmayalsohelptosprinklesomeascorbicacidcrystals
(vitaminC)inthepackagetoactasanoxygenscavenger.

III.THEGOSPELANDTHEPOLITICSOFLSD
TheproponentsoftheGospelseemtobemotivatedbyadesiretodispellfears
aboutthequalityandadulterationofacidwhichdiscourageexperimentation.
QuotingfromtheFAQ:
>(Itiscommonfortheuninformedtoharborfears(e.g.,aboutadulterants)
>instilledbyignoranceandthecurrenthysteria/propoganda.That'swhythis
>FAQexists.)
Itgoestosomelengthto(correctly)dispellthemythofstrychnine
adulteration.Howeveritdoesnotcrediblyaddressthepossibilityofother
adulterantsorthepossibilityofthepresenceofLSDanalogswhichcould
greatlyaltertheeffect.
Idonotquestionthesincerityormotivesofthosewhopromulgatethe
Doctrine;onlytheiruncriticalanddogmaticadherencetoanapparentlylogical
conclusion.Ibelievethatwhileattemptingtocounteractthemis
understandingandmisinformation,aboutpsychedelicdrugsendemictoour
culture,theyareunwittinglydoingagreatdisserviceincontendingthatmost
acidisindistinguishablefromperfectLSD.Asanentiregenerationaccepts
theconventionalwisdomthattheoftenmediocrepsychedelicpreparationscalled
acidareoneandthesamewithLSD,thememoryofthemostmindexpandingand
liberatingdrugeverdiscoveredisbeingburied.

APPENDIX:HolyScriptureRevisited
Onewayoffanningtheflamesofblasphemyistocastdoubtontheprophets.
IpresentforyourevaluationthefollowingquotesfromthePsychedelic
ChemistrybyMichaelValentineSmith:
p9:
>Thesecompoundscanbeextractedandusedtosynthesized
>theactiveTHCandTHCacid(bysmoking,notactiveorally).
THCnotactiveorally?Really?

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p8:
>CannabisSativahasbeenacherishedfriend...
>...ThegenusCannabiscontainsonlythisonespecies,
WhataboutCannabisIndicaandCannabisRootaralis?
p5:
>fewcompoundswillproduceasignificanteffectuntilahundredtoa
>thousandtimesthisamount(200ug)hasbeeningested.
Really?Abouthalfofthepsyhoactivecompoundslistedinmypharmacology
bookareactiveindosesoflessthan10mg.(200ug*50).
>Evenmescaline,whichhasaratherspecificpsychedeliceffect,requires
>aboutathousandtimesthisamount.
"Evenmescaline"!?It'sthe*least*potentofthewellknownpsychedelics.
Note:Ithinkthisbookofferssomeinsights,butitseemstobelackingin
consistencyandauthority.Alsoitwasoriginallywrittenbeforethe
mid1970s,whenmostacidwas,forthemostpart,indistinguishablefrom
pharmaceuticalLSD.Evenso,M.V.Smithcastsdoubt:
p5:
>ItispossiblethatisoLSDmayblockLSDeffectssomewhatandinhibitthe
>cosmictripsthatcanresultfromhighdoses;thisishoweverunproven.

AboutthisDocument

[backtochemicals][backtolsd]

OriginallyinHyperrealDrugArchives.HostedbyErowidasofOct,1999.

ModifiedFeb10,2015

Design19952015Erowid.org.Contentrespectivecopyrightholders.

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