Preview

The Legalization of LSD

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1800 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Legalization of LSD
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds; the Legalization of LSD Imagine being at the heart of your own thoughts and feelings. A place where time is nonexistent and all your life’s difficulties will soon cease to exist. LSD, the drug of the 60’s, can take you on a completely different reality and perceive things that are unique and beyond belief, and it could also help hundreds of thousands of people with mental disorders. LSD 's psychological effects (colloquially called a "trip") was always misunderstood and always thought of as a way to only escape reality, but now, we know different. By legalizing LSD, it will help those with medical illnesses such as chronic headaches or severe anxiety, while also able to enlighten people, making them become more peaceful and open to the world around them. It was once known as the drug of the 60’s, but in recent years, doctors now know that it has medical benefits. Psychedelics are drugs that alter the state of reality, and LSD is the most profound and strongest psychedelic drug there is. LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) is a potent hallucinogen/ psychedelic that dramatically alters your thoughts and your perception of reality. It was first discovered in 1938 by a Swiss chemist, Albert Hofman, in Switzerland. He was the first to experiment and derive LSD from the Ergot Fungus (a fungus that infects grains such as Rye). Hofman accidently exposed himself to the psychedelic years after first discovering it, making him the first man ever to experience the powers of LSD. During his trip, he notes “an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscope like play of colors.” Having had a positive trip, three days later, Hofman uses the drug again, but this time, he intentionally took the drug. Hofman took a much higher dosage the second time around and felt an even more profound experience, but felt panic thinking the effects wouldn’t wear off. As we know now, common trips last about 9-12


Citations: - Campbell, Denis. "Scientists Study Possible Health Benefits of LSD and Ecstasy." The Guardian. The Guardian, 23 Oct. 2009. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. -"Cluster Headache." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Aug. 2013. Web. 05 Nov. 2013. - Erowid. "Erowid Survey Vault : LSD Survey 8 "How Has LSD Affected Your Life?" Comments." Erowid Survey Vault : LSD Survey 8 "How Has LSD Affected Your Life?" Comments. N.p., Jan.-Feb. 2003. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. - Krebs TS, Johansen P-Ø (2013) Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study. PLoS ONE 8(8): e63972. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063972 - "LSD History." History of LSD. Narconon International, 03 Oct. 2010. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. -" 'LSD Was a Positive Life-changing Experience for Me ': Steve Jobs Opened up to the Pentagon about His Drug Habits in Secret Files." Mail Online. Daily Mail Reporter, 13 June 2012. Web. 06 Nov. 2013. - Orange, Richard. "LSD Is Good for You, Say Norway Researchers." - The Local. The Local, 22 Aug. 2013. Web. 08 Nov. 2013.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Summary Of Steve Sayles The Walls Come Tumbling Down
    • 4711 Words
    • 19 Pages

    Summary Of Steve Sayles The Walls Come Tumbling Down

    DRUGS AND DEMONS Altered States of Consciousness and the Occult. Steve Sayles Copyright © 2003-2008 Steve Sayles…

    • 4711 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    The History of Lsd and Its Effects on the American Counterculture Essay Example
    • 1488 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The History of Lsd and Its Effects on the American Counterculture Essay Example

    After World War II ended, the age of baby-booming and urban sprawling began. During this time, many American soldiers came home from the war; married, and had five or six children. This created the largest generation ever. Could this new generation change the social world of America? In 1964, most of the baby-boomer's children were in their late teens. This was the beginning of a major social change in the United States. With the birth of rock-n-roll not far in the past, and a growing liberalism of the normally conservative American Society, it is no wonder that a powerful hallucinogenic drug called LSD gained so much popularity.…

    • 1488 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    LSD and the Counterculture of the 1960's
    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages

    LSD and the Counterculture of the 1960's

    To satisfy the demand for clinical trials of LSD, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals began to manufacture the drug en masse. The ample supply of LSD led to widespread distribution by physicians to trial participants and, unintentionally, the general public (“History of LSD”). A black market developed, controlled by select groups of unofficial chemists who were able to synthesize the drug. Various musicians, artists, and figures of esteem took up LSD use, describing it to the population as a world-changing and mind-altering experience. Psychedelic drugs became a growing trend, even receiving the endorsement of Harvard psychologist Timothy Leary, who encouraged the youth to…

    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    week 7 hw Essay Example
    • 779 Words
    • 3 Pages

    week 7 hw Essay Example

    1. Explain how the use of substances alters a person’s state of consciousness, including depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Include in this explanation what happens to the neurotransmitters and body chemicals as well as how you might recognize whether a person at work or in your family is in an altered state of consciousness due to the influence of drugs.…

    • 779 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Is LSDLSD Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
    • 280 Words
    • 2 Pages

    What Is LSDLSD Lysergic Acid Diethylamide

    The effects associated with LSD use are unpredictable and depend upon the amount taken, the surroundings in which the drug is used, and the user's personality, mood, and expectations. Some LSD users experience a feeling of despair, while others report terrifying fears--of losing control, going insane, or dying. Some users have suffered fatal accidents while under the influence of LSD.…

    • 280 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    The Role Of LSD And Politics In The 1960's
    • 2675 Words
    • 11 Pages

    The Role Of LSD And Politics In The 1960's

    He argued that “the challenge of the psychedelic chemicals is not just how to control them, but how to use them” (History). Leary also argued that “LSD and many other psychedelic drugs were not dangerous if used wisely and with precautions” (History). During the hearing Leary also presented to the court good ideas for licensing LSD in order for responsible consumption of LSD. He also wanted the license to force users to be highly trained to prevent accidents with the drug. Leary wanted LSD to be used for “serious purposes, such as spiritual growth, pursuit of knowledge, or their own personal development” (History).…

    • 2675 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Lsd paper
    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Lsd paper

    There are plenty of beliefs and speculations when it comes to the hallucinogenic drug LSD such as songs named after the drug and what it does to an individuals senses. Though what most do not know Lysergic Acid Diathylamide, also known as LSD or Acid, was manufactured by the Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann, who was a chemist working for Sandoz Pharmaceutical in Basel, Switzerland, trying to look for a blood catalyst. Despite having first been synthesized in 1938, LSD’s its hallucinogenic effects were unknown until 1943 when Hofmann accidentally consumed a portion of LSD. The accident of Hoffman taking LSD created a mass amount of repercussions such what it has doe to society, why the government as had to sanction LSD, the effect, risks and the long term effects.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Contrasting the Contemporary Hipster with the Classical Hippie
    • 1902 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Contrasting the Contemporary Hipster with the Classical Hippie

    Throughout the years people always had the need to express their individuality, and the way its been done has constantly varied in multiple dimensions. Of course time has played a key role but it’s not been the only determinant. It seems for societal changes to occur on a prolific wave-like manner, infecting people, giving them a sense of identification with the current wave of expression. Although somewhat consistent, the unstructured nature of the act allows for individual creativity to take place and perhaps be distinguished enough to influence other people in the same circle; characters who have accomplished this throughout different waves have earned the prestigious title of trendsetters. This esteemed title however has been recently craved by so many, it has incubated the newest and most recent trend in subcultures across the globe: Hipsters. What’s curious about it, however, is that unlike massive and contagious movements in history (as with hippies), Hipsters are characterized by their unrevealed sense of identity to the subculture that surrounds him/her. Hippies on the other hand, although with similar characteristics, physical traits and beliefs, stand parallel to Hipsters in the proudly manner they self-proclaimed themselves Hippies. With this interesting note, we begin our attempt to balance these two sub-cultures with an aim to explore the births of one another, what each one stands/stood for, their do’s and don'ts, and most importantly, what sort of benefits to society have brought the kind of personalities these subcultures have given birth to.…

    • 1902 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Lsd Research Paper
    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Lsd Research Paper

    The main long term effect acid has is on the brain. It causes the brain to think it is still on LSD when it is not. Flashbacks can occur, which are more disturbing experiences, and can also cause paranoia and depression. Depression can then lead to suicide (Effects of Acid use, long term effects of LSD drug abuse).…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Cold War (MKULTA)
    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Cold War (MKULTA)

    Passie explains LSD is a physiological drug known for its ability to change the thinking process. While it is not considered addictive it can lead to other psychiatric reactions such as paranoia and delusions (Passie, Halpern, Stichtenoth, Emrich, & Hintzen, 2008). In 1953, once MKULTRA officially began, LSD was the first phase of experiments. LSD was initially used on mental patients in the state of Kentucky for 174 days to determine the effects on the brain after long term exposure. Use of LSD on CIA agents and military personnel were also conducted in the form of interrogation procedures to determine if it was an effective tool to coax sensitive information (McCoy, 2006, p.…

    • 1046 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    LSD In The 1960s
    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages

    LSD In The 1960s

    When the era of the sixties is brought up, the one thing that everyone thinks of is the era of drugs and revolutions. The topic of drugs is a very complicated one, drugs are not something that has recently sprung up. They have been around in every shape and form for centuries. In particular in the nineteen fifties and nineteen sixties, drugs like Lysergic Acid Diethylamide knew just as acid were being introduced to Americans. The 1960s was a time for revolutions, and drugs played a major role in this. New ways to consume and use drugs were created as people were forced to secretly buy and use them. The most intriguing part is how many scientists and psychologists were involved in the process of bringing LSD into the spotlight. The main purpose of…

    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Patient Billing Argument Essay
    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Patient Billing Argument Essay

    The CIA just wanted to study what their reactions would be. This LSD and other drugs were used without the test subjects…

    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Substance Abuse Outline
    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Substance Abuse Outline

    Drugs have made a tremendous impact on American society over the past thirty to forty years, yet many Americans are often ambivalent regarding their opinions relating to drugs in terms of decriminalization, availability, impact on society, and mental and physical health impacts. In 1979, some 25 million Americans had tried drugs sometime in the preceding month. Today that figure is 11 million. Bibliography lists 12 sources.…

    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Decriminalizing Drugs
    • 709 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Decriminalizing Drugs

    Decrimialization-n. The repeal or amendment (undoing) of statutes which made certain acts criminal, so that those acts no longer are crimesor subject to prosecution.…

    • 709 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Counterculture Environmental Technology Movement
    • 1411 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Counterculture Environmental Technology Movement

    During the 1960s the mainstream drug use was a crucial aspect of the hippie culture, and many of the youth saw using drugs as making a statement. The most popular drugs were Marijuana and LSD, both mid-altering drugs. LSD is a hallucinogen, meaning it affects the central nervous system and changes the way a person sees and feels the reality. One reason hippies turned to LSD was because they needed a culture when they no longer trusted the natural world, and LSD gave this to them. The entire hippie culture centered on LSD, impacting the music, art, and living of the hippies, and this was the first time something like this occurred. These impacts were seen specifically through acid tests, festivals that essentially celebrated LSD, from which the psychedelic style emerged. One explanation for the popularity of LSD is the strong influence and association it had with the psychedelic rock of the sixties. At concerts taking the drug was almost seen as a necessity. After the 1960s, the risks of using LSD became better known. LSD is unpredictable, and many situations in which it had caused death were being publicized through the media. While LSD usage dropped significantly after the 1960s, marijuana and more casual, widespread drug use was a legacy of the counterculture, and hippies specifically. Drugs redefined the Western world-view, as they destroyed the traditions of time,…

    • 1411 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics