Drug Laws Prevent Us From Doing Further Research On Potential Health Benefits Of LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD, is a stigmatized non-addictive psychedelic drug substance with "unfair" laws that prevent us from doing more research on potential health benefits, says a new YouTube video by PsychedSubstance.
Our country has been stalling research on the substance dating back to the 1960s, when it was outlawed. This was during a period where drug use rose among young, middle-class Americans. The link between crime and drug use became apparent, and a war on drugs ensued. But now a bit of research is finally beginning to surface, highlighting the drug’s benefits, such as treatment for anxiety, treatment for addiction, and an increase in creative thinking. With more research and, as the video states, “an open mind,” the substance can make a comeback to people across the world.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that more than 1.1 million people, aged 12 or older, have tried hallucinogens at least once in their lifetime.
The psychedelic drug was first synthesized and ingested by Albert Hoffman in 1938 from ergot, a grain fungus that grows on rye. LSD can also be synthesized from common garden flowers like Morning Glory and Hawaiian Baby Woodrose. The seeds contain over 10 different types of ergoline alkaloids, most notably ergine, which is also called LSA (d-lysergic acid amide). LSD works by mimicking serotonin in the brain, and takes priority over any bodily serotonin sending messages to the body. This process is why scientists believe that people see hallucinations when on the drug.
That being said, since LSD is non-toxic, no one has ever gotten close to the amount where the drug could be lethal. There are reports of people using over 400 doses of LSD and surviving. Aside from that, our bodies grow incredibly tolerant to the drug. According to the video, if you were to take the same dose of the drug three days in a row, the third day that dosage would have little to no effect. What makes LSD the most dangerous is by buying the substance on the street, where it has been mixed with other dangerous substances. Many famous people like Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, and Francis Crick, the man who discovered the DNA helix, credit their success to LSD.
"Something tells me there is a treasure trove of knowledge to be gained by this substance, but only time will tell," PsychedSubstance says in the video.