Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, LSD-25, or acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family. Its unusual psychological effects, which include visuals of colored and crawling geometric patterns, and a sense of time distortion have made it one of the most widely known psychedelic drugs. It has been used mainly as a recreational drug, an entheogen, and as a tool to supplement various practices for transcendence, including in meditation, psychonautics, art projects, and illicit (formerly legal) psychedelic therapy. Formally, LSD is classified as a hallucinogen of the psychedelic type.[1]
LSD was first synthesized by Albert Hofmann from ergot, a grain fungus that typically grows on rye. The short form LSD comes from its early code name LSD-25, which is an abbreviation for the German “Lysergsäure-diethylamid” followed by a sequential number.[2][3]
LSD is sensitive to oxygen, ultraviolet light, and chlorine, especially in solution, though its potency may last for years if it is stored away from light and moisture at low temperature. In pure form it is colorless, odorless, and mildly bitter.[3]
LSD is typically delivered orally, usually on a substrate such as absorbent blotter paper, a sugar cube, or gelatin. In its liquid form, it can be administered by intramuscular or intravenous injection. The threshold dosage level needed to cause a psychoactive effect on humans is between 20 and 30 µg (micrograms).[4]
Introduced by Sandoz Laboratories as a drug with various psychiatric uses, LSD quickly became a therapeutic agent that appeared to show great promise. However, the extra-medicinal use of the drug in Western society during the mid-twentieth century led to a political firestorm that resulted in the banning of the substance.[5] A number of organizations—including the Beckley Foundation, MAPS, Heffter Research Institute and the Albert Hofmann Foundation—exist to fund, encourage and coordinate research into its medicinal uses.[6]
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction reports that LSD retail prices range between €5 and €11 per unit in most European countries.[7]
Duration : 0:1:3
Read the rest of this entry »