LSD
Also known As:
Acid, Tabs, Purple haze, Electric kool-aid, Mellow yellow, Yellow sunshine, Blue cheer, and Sugar cubes.
What is it?
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), often known as “acid”, is a hallucinogenic drug that alters users’ thoughts, feelings, and awareness. LSD is a semi-synthetic psychoactive drug derived from precursors found in the ergot fungus (primarily Claviceps purpurea but also C. paspali). Chemically, LSD is an ergoline, a complex tetracyclic molecule that has the structure of tryptamine/indole embedded within it. There are many analogues (variations) of LSD with different potencies, such as 1P-LSD, AL-LAD, ETH-LAD, and more recently, 1cP-LSD.
How does it work?
LSD is unique among the classical psychedelics for its rich pharmacology. LSD has affinity for a wide range of serotonin (5-HT1A, 5HT2A, 5-HT3) and dopamine receptor subtypes (D1). Its psychedelic effects are primarily due to agonism (activation) of the 5-HT2A receptor. Receptor binding studies of LSD bound to a human serotonin receptor have shown that the diethylamide of LSD produces a specific conformational change that causes the receptor to “fold in” onto itself and keep the LSD molecule trapped. This may explain why LSD is among the most potent and long-lasting psychoactive substances known. Contemporary neuroimaging research is exploring how agonism of the 5-HT2A receptor leads to the profound changes of consciousness that LSD can produce.
What does it look like?
LSD is typically distributed on small squares of paper, often featuring colourful or psychedelic artwork, called “blotter paper”. It may also be found infused on a gelatine substrate (gel tabs), small pills (microdots), or absorbed onto candies or sugar cubes. Less commonly it can be found in liquid form dissolved into water or a solution of alcohol.
Is there a safe dose?
Due to prohibition, LSD is unregulated. If you are purchasing LSD on the illicit market, there is no way for you to know if the drug is LSD, how much LSD is in the sample, and what other drugs or contaminants may be present. As such, there is no truly safe dose, and people may respond differently to the drug. Safety is also affected by the set and setting, and the mental and physical health of the individual who is using the drug.
Be careful: Other, far more dangerous drugs, such as 25I-NBOMe, have been misrepresented as ‘LSD’ and sold in blotter or liquid form, leading to numerous deaths (DanceSafe, 2019).
Common doses of LSD on the illicit market are 100 micrograms or less. It is possible that you may receive a higher dosed product. There is no way to know the dose you are taking without sophisticated laboratory equipment.
DOSE RANGES
Threshold: 5 – 15 µg
Light: 20 – 75 µg
Common: 50 – 150 µg
Strong: 150 – 400 µg
Heavy: 400+ µg
Onset: 15 minutes-1 hour (may be affected by stomach contents and dose form; liquid usually comes on faster)
Duration: 8-12 hours
Anaglogues
Different analogues (sub-types) of LSD have different potencies and duration of effects. There are many different analogues that you can research online. Here are two analogies for comparison:
1P-LSD is a psychedelic of the lysergamide class. 1P-LSD is form the same family as LSD. Subjectively, 1P-LSD is similar to LSD and anecdotal reports often describe them as being identical. However, 1P-LSD is about 38% as potent as LSD.
Onset 45 - 90 minutes
Duration 8 - 12 hours
After-effects 6 - 24 hours
1cP-LSD is a new addition to the Research Chemicals market as of November 2019. Additionally known by its code name “Curie”, after Marie Curie. The anecdotal consensus among early users is that “Curie” is more potent than LSD. Additionally, it’s described as having a shorter half life than the traditional 12-hour half life of LSD.
Onset 30 - 90 minutes
Duration 8 - 10 hours
After-effects 6 - 24 hours
Effects
Consumption of LSD can lead to both physical and mental short-term effects. These effects can be experienced as pleasurable or undesirable and frightening, depending on the users’ experience, mood, set, and setting.
An LSD experience is often described as a “trip” because it feels like going on a journey. This experience may be broken up into four phases (DanceSafe, 2019):
The Onset: After about 30 minutes, colours appear sharper, moving objects leave “trails” behind them and flat surfaces may appear to “breathe.”
The Plateau: Over the second hour, the effects become more intense. Imaginary visions may begin to appear—from shapes in smoke to lines on the palms of the hand.
The Peak: Time is slowed almost to a standstill. Users may feel like they are in a different world, or a movie. For some, this is profound and mystical, but it can be very frightening for others.
The Comedown: 5 or 6 hours after taking the drug the effects begin to subside. After 8 hours, the trip is usually over, although residual effects may last much longer
mental effects
The consumption of LSD will produce hallucinatory experiences. This will largely be dependant on the dose. Possible mental effects of LSD consumption include:
Rapid change of mood, thoughts, and feelings
Distortion in perception of the “self” and the surrounding environment, including other people
Altered state of sensations: Auditory, olfactory, tactile, and visual senses can be altered or in some cases become fused—in a sensation known as synesthesia
Heightened sensory perceptions: Anecdotal descriptions often cite perceiving visual stimuli with a higher definition than in a normal waking state
Feelings of weightlessness or heaviness
Feeling of disconnection from the body
Impaired judgment of time, distance, and speed
Increased or decreased memory capacity dependent on dosage
Extreme ranges in mood. These range from feelings of intense joy to feelings of depression, and zen-like calmness to heightened anxiety
Set-and-Setting is an important component of LSD experiences. Setting refers to the the environment in which you’re taking the substance or “dropping”, and whether it will promote feelings of positive well being. Set refers to the mental state the user is in while taking the substance. Negative mental states typically lead to poor results, otherwise known as “bad trips”.
physiological effects
Consumption of LSD may produce physiological effects within the body such as:
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Increased body temperature
Perspiration
Sleeplessness
Dizziness
Elevated Blood Sugar
Goose Bumps
Jaw clenching
Saliva Production
Mucus Production
Hyperreflexia
Tremors or Numbness
Pupil Dilation
Loss of appetite, dry mouth, nausea
Decreased coordination and weakness
Side effects and cautions
Death or injury can occur from ingesting fake or contaminated LSD. Counterfeit LSD is often cut with 25i-NBOMe, which is highly toxic and very dangerous
Hallucinations and impaired judgement can result in serious harms and death if a person engages in risky activity while under the influence
LSD trips can sometimes be frightening, inducing extreme anxiety and panic. Although rare, some people relive the experience days, weeks or even years later in episodes known as “flashbacks.” Flashbacks are not unique to hallucinogenic drugs. They can result from any intense, psychological trauma (DanceSafe, 2019)
LSD may precipitate the onset of schizophrenia in genetically predisposed individuals.
In a very small percentage of people, LSD and other hallucinogens have caused a long-lasting disorder known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) that affects the person’s visual perception
COMBINATIONS
For the purposes of harm reduction it is not advisable to combine substances. A combination of substances will not necessarily produce an equal mixing of effects, and is essentially a novel drug in its own right. Often times combinations are not merely additive but produce “synergy”, where the effects are multiplied or exponential. There are some substances that should never be combined because they may produce toxic or potentially fatal effects. This should be taken into account if you choose to combine substances, so start with lower doses of each substance than you would usually take if taken alone.
DANGEROUS OR POTENTIALLY FATAL COMBINATIONS
Lithium - Lithium is sometimes prescribed for bipolar and other mood disorders. LSD should never be taken by anyone who also taking Lithium. This combination has resulted in extremely dangerous psychological distress, including complete loss of contact with reality, psychotic symptoms and behaviour, mania and delirium, and most critically, seizures.
SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS
Cannabis is very synergistic when combined with any psychedelic. Even veteran cannabis users may find that their acid trips become intensified and potentially frightening or out of control if using cannabis. It is inadvisable to combine high potency cannabis products (like wax “dabs” or hash).
More information on potential combinations can be found on TripSit Wiki.
Therapeutic uses
Psychotherapy
There is some research to support the use of LSD for LSD-assisted psychotherapy to treat anxiety, depression, addiction, and fear of death in people with terminal diseases (The Alcohol and Drug Foundation, 2018).
MICRODOSING
Microdosing is the act of taking sub-perceptual doses of psychedelic substances, such as DMT, LSD, or Psylocibin Mushrooms. This use may be occasional or may follow a weekly routine. The aim is to produce enhanced levels of creativity, energy, focus, relationships, and an overall heightened mood (The Third Wave, 2019).
Some individuals who use LSD report benefits from microdosing (Harm Reduction Journal as cited in Anderson et al., 2019). Benefits are numerous and may include: enhanced mood, improved focus, increased creativity, feelings of self-efficacy, improved energy, social awareness and connection, reduced anxiety, cognitive clarity, and physiological enhancement.
Athletes have also reported on the benefits of microdosing, for improved stamina, ability, reflexes, coordination, and “flow” (O’Connor, 2019).
Harm Reduction Tips
To minimize the harms related to LSD, we suggest the Following Safer Use Tips:
Know your source and test your LSD. You can order LSD testing kits from DanceSafe for $20
Always have a sober “trip sitter" present and use is a safe environment
Do not drive or operate heavy machinery under the influence
Do not mix LSD with other drugs. This can increase the risk of overdose and cause bad trips. Commonly used drugs like cannabis can make a trip become too intense and potentially frightening
Do not mix LSD with Lithium. This combination can be dangerous and potentially fatal
Be self-aware and know why you’re using. Pay attention to set and setting, and only use if you are in a good mental state and supportive environment
Avoid using LSD if you could be genetically predisposed to schizophrenia
MYTHS
“Any substance on blotter is LSD”. This is a false and potentially dangerous belief. A piece of blotter paper can hold about 5 mg of a substance, and there are many other psychedelics and “research chemicals” that are active in this dose range. Many of the other chemicals sold as LSD do not have the same safety profile and are dangerous or deadly with even minor doses.
“If it’s bitter, it’s a spitter”: Although it is true that LSD is (almost) tasteless, many of the inks used on blotter artwork also have a slight bitter or metallic taste. Typically, other compounds that may be found on a blotter (like NBOMe compounds or psychedelic amphetamines) do have a more pronounced bitter or metallic taste. However, taste is not a reliable way to distinguish LSD from other chemicals.
“If the Ehrlich reagent test turns purple, then I have LSD”. This is a myth because reagent testing is a method of exclusion that cannot tell you what substance you have, only what you don’t have. A blotter that produces a purple reaction could be LSD or another unknown indole. A blotter that does not produce a purple reaction is certainly not LSD, and could contain dangerous drugs such as 25i-NBOMe.
Legal Status: Use, Possession, & Distribution
LSD (but not its analogues) is classified as a Schedule III controlled substance in Canada under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Possession, production, and trafficking of Schedule III substances are punishable by law (Government of Canada, 2019). Recently, several analogues of LSD, including ALD-52, 1P-LSD, 1B-LSD, and 1cP-LSD, have appeared on the grey market “research chemicals” scene. While these drugs are not explicitly controlled in Canada it has been shown that they produce LSD as a metabolite in the body. As they have not been approved by Health Canada, their sale and use for human consumption is a grey-area under the law.
References
Anderson, T., Petranker, R., Christopher, A., Rosenbaum, D., Weissman, C., Dinh-Williams, L.-A., & Hapke, E. (2019). Psychedelic microdosing benefits and challenges: an empirical codebook. Harm Reduction Journal, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-019-0308-4
DanceSafe. (2019). LSD. Retrieved from https://dancesafe.org/lsd/
Government of Canada. (2019). Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Retrieved from https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8/fulltext.html
The Third Wave. (2019, June 19). Legal Status Of LSD And 1P-LSD. Retrieved from https://thethirdwave.co/legal-lsd-substitute/
O’Connor, S. (2019). Psychedelics as a Performance-Enhancer in Athletics. Retrieved October 23, 2019, from Psychedelic Science Review https://psychedelicreview.com/psychedelics-as-a-performance-enhancer-in-athletics/
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation. (2018). LSD as a therapeutic treatment. Retrieved from https://adf.org.au/insights/lsd-therapeutic-treatment/
Image sources:
Banner: LSD blotters. Heathline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-acid-last
LSD Microdots. (2017). Cyrilio. Retrieved from https://imgur.com/gallery/wQYuM
LSD Pills. (2019). Drug Free VA. Retrieved from https://drugfreeva.org/sink-or-swim/drug-facts/street-drugs/lsd/