Lsd :: essays research papers

lysergic acid diethylamide     The use of drugs among Americans is rapidly rising. They can be boughtand sold almost anywhere, from the streets to hallways of schools. A drug onthe rapid rise from the 70s is LSD. Some people attribute this to the fact itis extremely inexpensive, $2-4 a hit, the wrong belief by users that it is asafer drug than marijuana because it isnt physically addicting. However, LSDis a hallucinogenic drug that is very dangerous, despite popular belief.     LSD stands for Lysergic Acid Diethylamide. Lysergic acid is extractedfrom the fungus Ergot, and then left to crystallize until it is pure. It wasfirst by the bye discovered by Albert Hoffman in 1938 in Switzerland, who wassearching for possible therapeutic uses of Ergot. Hoffman continued hisexperiments, but never came in contact with the crystals until1943. (LSD can be inattentive through the skin.) Hoffman then sent LSD around the world to be testedand investigated t o find medical uses. Lysergic acid deviates were found torelieve migraines and control postnatal hemorrhage because it causes veins tocontract, but also caused gangrene of the limbs, and so further experimentationwith the drug was abandoned. In the late 50s, however, LSD was used by theCIA as an question drug for spies. However, it was proven to be unreliableand was later replaced with other interrogation drugs.     LSD comes in the forms of crystals, liquids, tablets, gelatins, orblotting squares. The squares have designs on them such a flowers, dragons,shapes, animals, and survey characters to make them more than attractive to youngchildren. Often called acid, white lightning, stamps, microdot, and gratefuldead, LSD is usually taken orally.There are 4 levels of experience an LSD user will go through. The firsttakes place within 45 minutes of ingestion. The user begins to feel enhancedsenses. Colors are brighter, sounds are more distinct, and a user may feel dizzy. The second level is the plateau. Between hours one and three, the userwill "see" sounds and "hear" objects. This experience of a mix of thesenses is called synethesva. Patterns within material such as sweaters andblankets appear. A user may see figures within smoke from incense, or spendextended periods of time examining lines on the palm of their hand. Clock timebecomes distorted and slows almost to a stand still, whole minutes seem to passlike hours. Slight hallucinations may appear. The third gear stage from hours 4-7is the climax. Colors are greatly magnified, while once familiar shapesdistorted beyond recognition. The hallucinations become intense, and totalunreal objects may appear.