Illicit Drugs: Albert Hofmann and LSD

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Recommended: Discuss the physiological and psychological effects of LSD

Most people do not think about all the things in this world that an individual can use that could potentially cause self harm. According to an article published by CNN, there are more than 22 million illicit drug users in the United States alone. Starting from the age of 12, individuals try marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants and prescription drugs. A large number of these drugs are misused daily but their original means for creation was to aid health issues. However, because there are addictive qualities associated with the drugs; they tend to change their users completely. LSD is a hallucinogenic drug created in 1938 to aid in psychiatric therapies. It was later found that the drug caused hallucinations and thus became a substance that was used for recreational purposes. Gaining its popularity in the in the 1960’s, LSD was proven to cause many different effects to the brain and body and though it has died off in the recent years, its affect on music may make it become more prevalent in the present.
November 16th, 1938 was when LSD was first synthesized by Swiss chemist, Albert Hofmann (LSD: A Short History). Working for Sandoz Pharmaceutical in Basel, Switzerland, he was tasked with finding a medical use for ergot, a fungus that grows on rye bread (LSD History). Derived from the fungus was lysergic acid which gave leeway to Hofmann’s studies. From the acid, Hofmann created multiple variations of the drug that lowered blood pressure and improved elderly brain function (LSD History). However, when he created LSD-25 (lysergic acid diethylamide) no real results had shown in improving health. Looking furthering into drug some time later, Hofmann accidentally ingested it, causing him to have hallucinations unknowingl...

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Hofmann, Albert. LSD, My Problem Child. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980. Print.
Jenkins, John Philip. "LSD (drug)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
"LSD." The Partnership at Drugfreeorg. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.
Nordqvist, Christian. "What is serotonin? What does serotonin do?." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 3 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
"Official Foundation for a Drug-Free World Website, LSD Addiction and Effects and What It Is." Official Foundation for a Drug-Free World Website. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
Riser, George, and Stephen Railton. "University of Virginia Library Online Exhibits | The Psychedelic '60s: Literary Tradition and Social Change." Omeka RSS. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
T, Buddy. "The Effects of LSD on the Brain." About.com Alcoholism. 6 Jan. 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.

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