Lsd Lysergic Acid Diethylamide

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), a rye fungus derivative, was a popular hallucinogenic drug in the 1960's and 1970's. It was discovered in 1938 by Albert Hoffman, a pharmaceutical company chemist ("What is LSD?"). The use of LSD fell off as the dangers of it became apparent and the original users moved on to other drugs or stopped using drugs altogether ("Lysergic"). But, there is a resurgence of LSD use in the United States today. Abuse of LSD remained low throughout the early 1980's, but researchers noticed an upward trend in LSD use in the late 1980's and the 1990's ("LSD Use"). Many people today are unaware of the dangers of LSD and often use it in combination with other drugs. The use of it is on the rise and will keep increasing unless people are made aware of the negative aspects of this drug.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) experimented with LSD in the 1950's as an interrogation tool. In fact, one researcher, was given the drug without his knowledge, and died several days later, although LSD's role in his death is unknown or unacknowledged. The CIA stopped research on the drug and it slipped into obscurity . But, by 1963 it was on the streets. Professor Timothy Leary of Harvard advocated its use as a way for people to understand themselves better ("LSD: History"). Use was widespread for awhile, but declined after the 1970's because the drug is not addictive, builds up a tolerance level rapidly, and can affect people long after it is taken ("LSD Use").