LSD: Lysergic Acid Deithylamide

Hallucinogens can alter the mind; it cause changes in mood and cause the user to have unusual thoughts. Hallucinogens do not always cause hallucinations, despite of the name; the user feels false sensations that they only experience. Hallucinogens induce the user to act and say things that they would normally not do.

Lysergic acid diethylamide was the first synthetic hallucinogen that was discovered. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, better known as LSD and was first synthesized by Albert Hofmann on November 16, 1938. The discovery took place in Basel, Switzerland when Albert Hofmann joined Author Stroll’s pharmaceutical-chemical department of Sandoz Laboratories. This acid is found on ergot fungus; this type of fungus naturally grows on grains. Albert Hofmann studied ergot fungus with the hope to create a respiratory and circulatory stimulant. Hoffman began to lose interest since his research would not advance, so he decided to set it aside for approximately five years. On April 16, 1943 he decided to re-open the experiment and accidentally absorbed a small amount through his finger tips. That is when he discovered the true potential of LSD. He described the experience as:

“…as I lay in a dazed condition with eyes closed there surged up from me a succession of fantastic, rapidly changing imagery of a sticking reality and depth, alternating with a vivid, kaleidoscope play of colors. This condition gradually passed off after about three hours.” (Acid Dreams, Prologue)

Hoffman was astonished with the results and chose to keep self-experimenting with LSD to firsthand experience the effects of LSD. Hofmann chose to intake LSD once again, only this time he calculated a safe amount. He thought he ingested 250 micrograms when the actual do...

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