Date: 5th May, 2016

Authors Name: Shahzadi Seher Sohail

Keywords: LSD drug, LSD addiction, LSD effects, Psychedelic drug

Tags:

Shoulder of the feature: LSD; an illegal Psychedelic drug also popularly called Acid, with
zero addiction potential, can produce powerful hallucinations called trip when consumed.
The recreational drug can produce both a positive i.e. Euphoria or a negative i.e. panic
experience, with users describing them in simple terms as hearing colors and seeing sounds.

Title: LSD: Acid for the mind.

Feature:

LSD stands for Lysergic Acid Diethylamide which is a powerful Psychedelic drug i.e. its use leads to
hallucinations. LSD drug has a clear or white odorless form and a slightly bitter taste. LSD is
synthesized from the chemical compound called lysergic acid present in a particular type of fungus
called Ergot, which grows on rye and other grains.

LSD drug is also known by other names such as Acid, Blotter, Dots, and Yellow Sunshine. The drug is
taken via the mouth in the form of capsules, tablets or as a liquid. LSD or as it is usually called Acid
can also be commonly bought as a piece of blotter paper, which is then chewed or swallowed. The
absorbent paper is soaked in LSD and comes with colorful designs or artwork. While LSD sold as
tablets is commonly called Microdots or Sugar Cubes which are only 2 to 3 mm in diameter, and the
thin squares of gelatin containing LSD are called Window Panes.

According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 65,000 of adolescents in the
U.S. from the age of 12 years to 17 years were using LSD at the time. Meanwhile 0.3% of adults
between the ages of 18 years to 25 years were active LSD users in America and 104,000 adults users
over the age of 26 years.

As a drug LSD is not addictive but rather habitual. If a person does become dependent on it then it is
due to psychological reasons and not physical, since there is a zero LSD addiction potential. LSD
taking individuals have been known to gradually and successfully stop taking the drug without any
adverse withdrawal symptoms. LSD takers can become tolerant to the drug which means the next
time to get high they will have to increase their dose, which can lead to dangerous side effects.

A hallucinogenic drug is categorized by its power to alter the neurological perceptions of a person.
Basically LSD effects constitute a person hallucinating about the surrounding objects and conditions,
though vivid images.

Unlike other drugs LSD abuse is not a major problem in the U.S., since a majority of the population
does not use it regularly. Most people only take LSD once in their life for experimentation and it is
usually found at parties or raves. Although LSD is not the most popular drug abused at parties with
other drugs such as ecstasy used more frequently, it can still be found in certain circles. Another
reason why LSD has prevailed and remained popular in certain circles is due to its low price, which
compared to other drugs it is believed to be a bargain. The price of a single dosage of LSD ranges
from $1- $5 based on its potency.

History

LSD was created by the Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann in 1938 at Sandoz laboratories in Basel. It was
first referred to as LSD-25 when created and then distributed by Sandoz under the name of Delysid
for treatment of alcoholism, neurosis, and psychosomatic disorders. Subsequently in the 1950s and
1960s the U.S. government used LSD in a series of researches to determine its effects on the human
brain.

In 1943, Hoffman documented the properties of LSD after taking a large dosage of the psychedelic
drug. According to Hoffman, he went on a hallucinogenic trip which made him experience feelings
of paranoia and fear on fantastic proportions.

In mid 1960s LSD started gaining popularity as a recreational drug in party circles. As the popularity
of LSD increased the U.S. government banned the drug in 1966. Currently LSD is a Schedule I
substance under the Controlled Substances Act, which means the drug has a very high potential for
abuse and is considered an illegal substance. LSD consumption by the public is not legally allowed
even for medical use in the United States.

LSD can only be lawfully produced or used for research work but with strict stipulations and settings.
After a 40 year ban LSD was finally allowed for research use in 2014 for a LSD-assisted psychotherapy
trial. The study used 200 g of LSD for the treatment of life-threatening mental illnesses such as
anxiety, depression, chronic pain etc. The results were promising and demanded further study into
the potential of LSD-assisted psychotherapies as treatment of anxiety.

LSD Dealing

LSD is still illegally used at social parties for recreational purposes and according to the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration (D.E.A) it is still being synthesized domestically at illegal clandestine
laboratories.

It is to be noted LSD synthesis is a delicate process only a few chemists can adhere to the right
production procedures. The process of Cooking LSD is a very time consuming and sophisticated
procedure and takes up to 2 -3 days for the production of 1-4 ounces of crystals. The DEA believes
LSD is not produced in large quantities but in relatively small batches and operations.

A small number of chemists maybe even less than a dozen are responsible for synthesizing nearly all
of the LSD circulating in America and some of them have been operating since the 1960s. They
producers and traffickers can be categorized into two groups; the first group is made up of chemists
and believed to be operating since the last five decades is located mainly in northern California,
while the other group is composed of small independent producers and dealers throughout the
country. The infamous northern California group has remained at large for so long due to their
intricate network and a close fraternity system.

Ergotamine tartrate derived from the fungus ergot lead to the synthesis of lysergic acid, from which
LSD is produced. For that reason Ergotamine tartrate is also regulated under the Chemical Diversion
and Trafficking Act and the substance is not readily available in the U.S. but the clandestine LSD
laboratories acquire it through smuggling from Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica or Africa. Since only a
small amount of ergotamine tartrate is required to produce large batches of LSD, the smuggling of
the substance occurs easily. Only 25 kg of ergotamine tartrate can produce 5-6 kg of pure LSD crystal
which can be processed into 100 million dosage units, which is the entire annual demand of LSD in
the United States.

Psychological Dependence

In a majority of cases LSD is first taken by an individual for experimentation mainly out of curiosity
after hearing about the colorful hallucinogenic effects of the drugs is a joyful experience. Usually if
the hallucination is enjoyable and not frightening then the user will continue to use the drug in order
to recreate the interesting event.

However regular use of the drug can lead to the development of psychological dependence and a
person constantly using LSD may start to hand out with a group which uses the drug on a regular
basis. Tolerance to LSD can develop rapidly, as in if a person takes LSD again the very next day then
the same dosage will not give a hallucination of the same intensity as the first time. The same effect
on the particular dose quantity may be achieved after a gap of three day to a week. But a regular
user of LSD using the drug every other day will have to take a higher dose than before. Since LSD is a
rather unpredictable drug increasing the dosage can prove to be dangerous.

It is believed psychological dependence on LSD can occur when people take the drug regularly and
the pyrotechnic effects of the hallucinogenic become a sort of escape from harsh reality and
sometimes functioning in reality can become harder after constantly taking LSD.

Tripping on LSD

The hallucinogenic experience of LSD a person goes through is commonly called trip and in the
same way a negative experience of LSD is called a bad trip. Usually combining LSD with other drugs
can lead to a bad trip. A medium dose of LSD can cause a hallucination from up to 1 hour to many
hours and a high dose can even last for up to 10 or 12 hours.

An oral dose equal to at least 100 g of LSD leads to hallucinations by producing vivid psycho-sensory
changes in the brain. Although the exact mechanism of LSDs complex effect on the brain is not
known it is believed LSD increases sensory perception, synesthesia and also enhances the image
forming capability of the brain.

Usually the psychedelic LSD effects kick in 30 to 90 minutes after taking the drug and can be
unpredictable. The effects of LSD usually comprise of extreme mood swings along with visual
hallucinations. A person under the influence of LSD may feel substantial changes in mood or feel
numerous emotions at the same time. In the same way the particular person may encounter rapid
swings in mood from one emotion to the next in a matter of only seconds.

A person high on LSD may display initial physical effects such as:

Dilated pupils
Blurred vision,
High body temperature
Increased blood sugar
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Insomnia
Dry mouth
Tremors (chills, hot and cold flushes)
Sweating
Irregular breathing
Dizziness
Loss of appetite
Nausea

LSD use can also impair neurological perceptions such as time, size or shape of objects, color, sound,
touch, movements and own body awareness. LSD also affects sensory mechanisms by distorting
thinking, confusion, trouble concentrating and maintaining attention.

LSD use has been to cause a cross-over effect in which a person may undergo the feeling of hearing
colors and seeing sounds. An LSD experience when positive can lead to what may be called as
Euphoria i.e. a much heightened sense of happiness, relaxation and wellbeing.

However LSD can sometimes even result in a frightening hallucination which can lead to panic. For
example a person under the influence of LSD can experience severely terrifying thoughts and feelings
or it can result in a feeling of losing control or insanity. Some LSD users even experience a heightened
fear of death. Sometimes a bad trip is the reason why LSD abusers do not take the drug again.

Since LSD can impair the judgment of a person the user can cause them personal injury, which can
sometimes even be fatal. Although the LSD drug itself does not cause death and can only be
overdosed on in case of a suicide activities under the influence of LSD can lead to death.

After Effects

After the effects of LSD wear off a person may suffer from acute anxiety or depression. A subsequent
result of these reactions comes in the form of flashbacks. The flashbacks are the recurrences of the
effects of LSD when the person was high, however the episodes can be either positive or negative.
The flashbacks can last for up to days or even months after having taken the last dose and the
flashbacks can come on suddenly without any warning. The flashbacks tend to occur more frequently
in people with underlying personality problems or those who habitually use the drug, but even
normal first time users can experience such flashbacks.
Another extremely adverse after effect of LSD use is the manifestation of long-lasting psychoses e.g.
schizophrenia or severe depression. LSD may not cause many physical problems like other drugs but
the mental problems caused by its abuse are the most serious effects caused by any type of drug.

LSD and Music

Research on the enhancement of emotional response to music under LSD is also being carried out
with increased interest, since it is hypothesized psychedelic drugs increase the psychological
response of the brain to positive stimulus such as music. In 2014 a study trial of 5-7 days based on 10
healthy volunteers found LSD did boost neurological responses to music. The test subjects reported
feeling the music evoked emotions such as wonder, transcendence, power and tenderness.
Further studies may show that LSD can be used as a therapy for mental disorders like chronic
depression.