(Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)

What forms can LSD be found in? What is LSD? LSD is one of the most potent, mood-changing chemicals. It is manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in the ergot fungus that grows on rye and other grains. It is produced in crystal form in illegal laboratories, mainly in the U.S. These crystals are converted to a liquid for distribution. It is colorless, odorless, and has a slightly bitter taste. What forms can LSD be found in? Known as “acid,” LSD is sold on the streets in small tablets(“microdots”), capsules or gelatin squares (“window panes”). It is sometimes added to absorbent paper which is divided into small squares decorated with designs or cartoon characters. Occasionally it is sold in liquid form.

History of LSD Albert Hoffman, a chemist working for Sandoz Pharmaceutical, synthesized LSD for the first time in 1938 in Switzerland while looking for a blood stimulant. Its hallucinogenic effects were unknown until 1943 when Hoffman accidentally took some LSD. Because of its similarity to a chemical in the brain and certain aspects of psychosis, LSD was used in experiments by psychiatrists throughout the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. While the 60’s counter culture used the drug to escape problems of society, the military saw it as a chemical weapon. U.S. researchers noted that LSD “is capable of rendering whole groups of people, including military forces indifferent to their surroundings and situations interfering with planning and judgment, and even creating apprehension, incontrollable confusion and terror.” In 1951 a series of experiments with the possible use of LSD were done to change the personalities of intelligence targets and to control whole populations. The U.S. officially banned the drug in 1967

Common Street Names Acid Battery acid Boomers Golden dragon Hippie Loony tunes Lucy in the sky with diamonds Microdot Superman Tab Window pane Yellow sunshine

The Harmful Effects of LSD Physical Effects Dilated pupils Higher or lower body temperature Sweating or chills (“goose bumps”) Loss of appetite Sleeplessness Dry mouth Tremors Mental Effects Delusions Visual Hallucinations An artificial sense of euphoria Distortion of time and identity Impaired depth perception Impaired time perception Distorted perception of the size and shape of objects, movement, color, sounds, touch, and body image Terrifying thoughts and feelings Fear of losing control Panic attacks Flashbacks, or recurrence of LSD trip Severe depression or psychosis

What are the overdose effects of LSD? Deaths overdose of LSD are extremely rare. Deaths generally occur due to suicide, accidents, and dangerous behavior. What is the legal status in the U.S.? Many hallucinogens (including LSD) are Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that they have a high potential for Abuse. It is not currently an accepted form of medical use or treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.