Why LSD is not obsolete? Lysergic Acid Diethylamide is a semi-synthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, first synthesized by Albert Hoffman in 1938. It is well known for psychological effects .It is also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid. Its uses range from medicinal to spiritual. LSD is used as an entheogen (for spiritual purposes), recreational drug and as an agent in psychedelic therapy. Psychological effects depend on factors such as person’s history, environment, state of the mind and the strength of the dose. LSD is also known to cause altered experience of the thinking process, awareness, emotions and memories but this depends on the dosage and tolerance. Rapid tolerance build-up prevents regular use. In rare cases adverse psychiatric reactions such as anxiety or delusions are possible. LSD has no lasting effects on the brain or other body parts and is psychologically tolerated. Alcoholics Anonymous used the drug in its twelve step process to help alcoholics and drug addicts return to sobriety. The CIA used the drug in its mind control attempts to glean information from suspects and thought to use in chemical warfare before discarding it . The subsequent use of the drug by the youth 1960s led to its prohibition. In 1963 The US Food and Drug Administration classified LSD as an Investigational New Drug which meant new restrictions on medical and scientific use. In 1968 possession of LSD was made illegal. The United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances adopted in 1971 requires its parties to prohibit LSD but the application of this varies from country to country Reasons cited in the banning of LSD in the US included the fact that it had a high potential of abuse, no legitimate medical use and there is no safety guarantee on its medical use. The CIA was also worried of the use of LSD by its enemies. The use of LSD during the cultural revolution of the 1960s and the anti-Vietnam war protests worsened the situation. But is LSD bad? There is no hard evidence of documented death due to LSD. As a result LSD cannot be really classified as a bad or lethal drug. Interpretation of data on several LSD studies has been compromised by a number of factors such as use of street’ LSD, illicit users, concurrent use of other psychoactive drugs and diseases such as hepatitis. The main problem on the drug is controlling its use and prohibiting its use as a recreational drug. On the other hand there is as much argument from those who support its use. Steve Jobs, the late founder of Apple Inc. is said to have said “taking LSD was a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life.” John Bradshaw in his book Healing the shame that binds you’ describes his experience about his transition from alcoholism to sobriety. Benefits of using LSD to psychiatric patients and alcoholics cannot be denied. Modalities and regulations should be worked out and put in place to avoid abuse. We still have illegal producers of the drug in the US today. Research in the use of LSD has not stopped. Some countries have resumed the research in the use of LSD. LSD is definitely not dead but is likely to bounce back with different regulations regarding its use.
