Home

History

Physical effects

Biological effects

Psychological views

Characterisation

Synthesis

Using LSD

References and Further Reading

During the following years (after first being marketed in 1949) LSD drew much attention from both the scientific and medicinal communities. The CIA also became interested in the drug for interrogation, and as a tool for reprogramming the 'brainwashed.' Tests were performed on agents, without prior consent, with at least one fatal case when after a prolonged two week 'trip' he eventually threw himself from a window! The CIA have also been accused of poising water supplies of mayor cities to test the effects. Military tests were also ran into the possibility of using the drug as a chemical weapon against apposing troops.

As time progressed the drug became more widely used recreationally with and writers such as Ken Kessey, Allan Ginsburg and William Burroughs (who outlined his experiences with 'yaga') this early scene also shows influences such as the jazz bands; Thelonius Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane, other styles including even classical were also effected (There are more examples in rurther reading).

The next wave of development can be partially attributed to Timothy Leary (click here to visit Laery's home page) a Harvard psychologist. After his experiences with psychedelic drugs he said he was 'swept over the edge of a sensory Niagra into a maelstrom of transcendental visions and hallucinations' After being sacked from Harvard in 1963 he founded the International Foundation for International Freedom (the IFIF), to peruse the study of psychodelia. After being expelled from Mexico he moved to the USA and started the Millbrook Foundation in 1964. In the same time frame Michael Hollingshead set up The World Psychedelic Centre in London for the newly emerging 'swing London' scene of artists, musicians and writers. Although the heart of the scene was in the States there were distinct influences in the UK and all over Europe.

Another heavily associated name was Ken Kesey, the author of ''One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest' (see the further reading list for more examples) and on the proceeds of which bought a large estate in San Francisco which became a meeting place for the like minded. It was here that the notorious 'acid tests' took place: in these groups of people would drink Kool-aid laced with LSD and then talk or make love. This is also where the stereotypical image of a hippy originates, as Kesey's bunch would tour in the magic bus (a florescent tour busses) shocking 'stiffs' as they went. On one occasion they met with Leary's group they found them boring and serious. During these tours a forty eight hour video was compiled. Kesey's estate was also the home of the folk band The Warlords, who after renaming themselves 'The Grateful Dead' lead the music of this new culture which was mainly influenced the west coast.

In more modern times bands such as Pink Floyd, Cream, Soft Machine (the singer, Robert Wyatt was paralysed from the waist down after jumping out of a building while tripping, but was still able to perform and produce much music), The Incredible String Band and, of course, the Beatles show influences and numerous references. For the latter these are especially obvious in two of their short films 'Yellow Submarine' and 'A Magical Mystery Tour' (Not to mention 'Luck in the Sky with Diamonds' could this really be a random comment from a young nephew?). Cartoon such as the Magic Roundabout are also said to be influenced by LSD (In this case it was recently banned from Television for this exact reason) To lern more about this and the associated political satire try this website http://www.rsc.co.uk/zebidee/links.htm.

The peak of the eara and associated use of LSD was in the mid to late 1960's. The decline in the flower power culture can be attributed to several things.
Firstly the drug was illegalised 1966 in the UK and 1968 in the USA. Partially due to the staggering increase in usage. In 1962, twenty five thousand Americans having tried the drug, and over four million in 1965! Due to this legal restriction Sandoz withdrew the drug from the general market (although they still produced for resurch purposes), making way for a thriving criminal black market. Many chemists of the day were able to deliver high quality product with relatively little specialist equipment. This market was not only driven by profit, but also many idealists such as the chemist Augustus Owsley Stanley III whos renownd vintages may well have been responsible for one of Jimi Hendrix's song Purple Haze.
The commercial exploitation, especially from the music industry grew along side the illegal high quality supply network to a huge extent and both individually have been blamed, individually, for the increase in usage, and factors in its downfall of the era.
The prominent names and topics hit the headlines again, such as Timothy Leary (for more details) above, and also Charles Manson, whos hold over his family was attributed to the use of LSD. Stories from blindness by staring into the sun to abnormal births were commonplace.
For most the end of the LSD aided Hippie era was in 1969 in a incident at the Altamont Rock Festival. In front of the stage where the Rolling Stones were performing a man was stabbed and beaten to death by Hells Angels. This and the mayhem that followed was blamed on LSD (with little mention of the other drugs that had been readily available, such as marijuana and alcohol, and neglecting the fact that only poor quality LSD was avalible).

The industry took until the early 1980's to recover, but recover it has, and in recent years has began to take a slight upturn. However, the doses are greatly reduced, and one would expect to get between 20 and 80 milligrams (compared to the 250 to 300 in the mid sixties). Purity of these samples is generally good, with the majority of production still situated in Northern California. It is thought that there are as few as six major producers that may well have been producing the drug since back in its hay-day when it was first illegalised. Between 1981 and 1987 as few as six laboratories were sized and since then not a single one (this is partially because of the much larger problems with other drugs especially cocaine).

In recent years LSD has taken a vey much behind the curtain role, generally staying out of the papers and te publics scrutiny. Although with the increast in use this may start to change. Between 1991 and 1996 there was a rise from 6% to 14% in the USA.[1].

The characters of the magic round about. Can you guess the politician?

A poster for Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze