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LSD
Chemist Albert Hofmann, working at the Sandoz Corporation pharmaceutical laboratory in
Switzerland, first synthesized LSD in 1938. He was conducting research on possible medical
applications of various lysergic acid compounds derived from ergot, a fungus that develops on rye
grass. Searching for compounds with therapeutic value, Hofmann created more than two dozen
ergot-derived synthetic molecules.
LSD is sold on the street in tablets, capsules, and occasionally in liquid form. It is an odorless and
colorless substance with a slightly bitter taste that is usually ingested orally. It is often added to
absorbent paper, such as blotter paper, and divided into small decorated squares, with each
square representing one dose.
CONTROL STATUS
LSD is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I drugs, which
include heroin and MDMA, have a high potential for abuse and serve no legitimate medical
purpose. Its two precursors lysergic acid and lysergic acid amide are both in Schedule III of the
CSA. The LSD precursors ergotamine and ergonovine are List I chemicals.
STREET TERMS
Acid, blotter acid, window pane, dots, mellow yellow
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
The short-term effects of LSD are unpredictable. They depend on the amount of the drug taken;
the user's personality, mood, and expectations; and the surroundings in which the drug is used.
Usually, the user feels the first effects of the drug within 30 to 90 minutes of ingestion. These
experiences last for extended periods of time and typically begin to clear after about 12 hours.
The physical effects include dilated pupils, higher body temperature, increased heart rate and
blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth, and tremors. Sensations
may seem to "cross over" for the user, giving the feeling of hearing colors and seeing sounds. If
taken in a large enough dose, the drug produces delusions and visual hallucinations.
LONG-TERM EFFECTS
LSD users often have flashbacks, during which certain aspects of their LSD experience recur
even though they have stopped taking the drug. In addition, LSD users may develop long-lasting
psychoses, such as schizophrenia or severe depression. LSD is not considered an addictive drug
- that is, it does not produce compulsive drug-seeking behavior as cocaine, heroin, and
methamphetamine do. However, LSD users may develop tolerance to the drug, meaning that
they must consume progressively larger doses of the drug in order to continue to experience the
hallucinogenic effects that they seek.