Father Of LSD Celebrating 100th Birthday

wjz.com ^ | 1/10/06 | unknown

[beyond the sea]

http://wjz.com/watercooler/watercooler_story_010144726.html

Father Of LSD Celebrating 100th Birthday

(AP) GENEVA LSD is an unlikely subject for a 100th birthday party. Yet the Swiss chemist who discovered the mind-altering drug and was its first human guinea pig is celebrating his centenary Wednesday — in good health and with plans to attend an international seminar on the hallucinogenic.

"I had wonderful visions," Albert Hofmann said, recalling his first accidental consumption of the drug.

"I sat down at home on the divan and started to dream," he told the Swiss television network SF DRS. "What I was thinking appeared in colors and in pictures. It lasted for a couple of hours and then it disappeared."

Hofmann, who also had bad experiences with the drug, continues to insist it should be legalized for medical treatment, particularly in psychiatric research. But LSD's reputation has been as turbulent as some acid trips.

The drug earned a bad reputation amid fatalities associated with hallucinations and reports of "flashbacks" — the recurrence of hallucinations when not taking the drug.

LSD inspired the 1960s hippy generation and was immortalized in the Beatles' hit "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," although the band denied any connection. But it was also known as Like Swift Dead.

For decades after LSD was banned in the late 1960s, Hofmann defended his invention.

"I produced the substance as a medicine," he said. "It's not my fault if people abused it."

The chemist — who still takes nearly daily walks in the picturesque village where he lives in the Jura mountains with his wife of 70 years, Anita — discovered lysergic acid diethylamide-25 in 1938 while studying the medicinal uses of a fungus found on wheat and other grains at the Sandoz pharmaceuticals firm, now part of Novartis.

[Musket]

From Chapter 1.4

The dizziness and sensation of fainting became so strong at times that I could no longer hold myself erect, and had to lie down on a sofa. My surroundings had now transformed themselves in more terrifying ways. Everything in the room spun around, and the familiar objects and pieces of furniture assumed grotesque, threatening forrns. They were in continuous motion, animated, as if driven by an inner restlessness. The lady next door, whom I scarcely recognized, brought me milk - in the course of the evening I drank more than two liters. She was no longer Mrs. R., but rather a malevolent, insidious witch with a colored mask.

Even worse than these demonic transformations of the outer world, were the alterations that I perceived in myself, in my inner being. Every exertion of my will, every attempt to put an end to the disintegration of the outer world and the dissolution of my ego, seemed to be wasted effort. A demon had invaded me, had taken possession of my body, mind, and soul. I jumped up and screamed, trying to free myself from him, but then sank down again and lay helpless on the sofa. The substance, with which I had wanted to experiment, had vanquished me. It was the demon that scornfully triumphed over my will. I was seized by the dreadful fear of going insane. I was taken to another world, another place, another time. My body seemed to be without sensation, lifeless, strange. Was I dying? Was this the transition? At times I believed myself to be outside my body, and then perceived clearly, as an outside observer, the complete tragedy of my situation.

Sound like fun???

Funny how all the MSM articles always say how great this stuff is and miss this part of Dr. Hoffmans book.

[Caesar Soze]

Whoah, I'm, like, having a thread flashback ... to January, I think.

[libby22]

i suspect your friend's 'nail-gun' episode a result of either 'corrupt' lds-25---combination with pot, or most likely he bought a designer drug or pcp---they 'mimic' lsd-25, and may be 'cooked' in a bathtub--dirt-cheap---ask paul macartney or cary grant, a regular user---'did the Real thing' nail their hand? doubtful---when young, i worked in factories---one wrong move? no hand---often 'stoned'---i'm fine---not so the 'tote-the-guv's-line'---hands, fingers, gone---'over-generalization' is not wise---

[Musket]

Friend, read my post #121. This was Dr. Hoffman's second LSD trip. He was using the purest stuff availible and he didn't mix it with anything and it sure sounds like a pretty bad trip to me.

[Lancey Howard]

It's not the LSD that causes discomfort, it's the strichnine that it's usually cut with.

[mysterio]

Had a buddy in college who did 15 hits at once. He came out ok, but we had to talk him down and keep explaining to him where our voices were coming from and explain the concept of him to himself. He came out ok.

A guy in my hometown in the 80s got his drink spiked with 5 hits, and he never came out of it. He's still messed up. So it affects people differently, I guess.

I liked reality enough to never try it. I have enough nightmares when I sleep, and I'm far to negative to ever benefit from it.

An interesting aside, I don't know how many of you are fans of punk, but on the GG Allin documentary, they claim his whole thing got started with a drink spiked with acid. And those of you who are familiar with GG Allin know how far that one went.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

The Unabomber took LSD.

Ted K., the CIA & LSD

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

http://www.unabombers.com/

[Riverman94610]

Everyone brings their own internal devils and angels into the experience.I found I was able to face my demons and laugh at them.Others might be traumaticaly affected and react accordingly.

[Blind Eye Jones]

I use to do it in the mid 70s and it was usually quite a beautiful, mystical trip. Then I broke up with my girl friend and did it in a somewhat depressed state (breaking the rule about not doing it in a bad state of mind). I had the worst trip with visions of spiders crawling up my spine and bizarre dreams for a couple of days. I thought I was going crazy and that was the last time I did it. Sometimes I think it has permanently affected me and other times I can dismiss that idea.

In general, I think LSD lowers your mental barriers where all kinds of perceptions flood in. And, perhaps, sometimes entities or spirit world also comes in. If you mind is not strong they will leave without affecting you. If not, they can slowly break your mind down. It reminds me of idea of schizophrenia in that your mind is like a castle wall and if that wall is breached, other forces can enter and you will be divided. Now, I know there is also the beautiful and that too is experienced, but there is a price that sometimes comes with being that open. Perhaps the experiences comes from the id, up through the floor boards to the conscious mind. Or, maybe, it comes from God or the Devil. Who knows... it is all a mystery!

[RouxStir]

"Anybody heard of someone dying from an LSD overdose?

I've never heard of the drug being the cause of death but I've heard of people who died from the psychological after-effects.

[Blind Eye Jones]

Sorry, should read:

I use to do it in the mid 70s and it was usually quite a beautiful, mystical trip. Then I broke up with my girl friend and did it in a somewhat depressed state (breaking the rule about not doing it in a bad state of mind). I had the worst trip with visions of spiders crawling up my spine and bizarre dreams for a couple of days. I thought I was going crazy and that was the last time I did it. Sometimes I think it has permanently affected me and other times I can dismiss that idea.

In general, I think LSD lowers your mental barriers where all kinds of perceptions flood in. And, perhaps, sometimes entities or the spirit world also comes in. If you mind is strong they will leave without affecting you. If not, they can slowly break your mind down. It reminds me of idea of schizophrenia in that your mind is like a castle wall and if that wall is breached, other forces can enter and you will be divided. Now, I know there is also the beautiful and that too is experienced, but there is a price that sometimes comes with being that open. Perhaps all these experiences comes from the id, up through the floor boards to the conscious mind. Or, maybe, it comes from God or the Devil. Who knows... it's all a mystery!

[wideminded]

Yes, it was always best to get it from someone you trusted completely.

I once witnessed someone who was looking for it ask a person they trusted to know where to find it. The person they asked was the mayor of a small California town.

[Musket]

'Spose you're right. But I would never recommend it to anyone. Definitely not a pleasure drug - or a toy.

[beyond the sea]

I hear you. I don't have time right now to say much more, but I think you are better for your experiences.

Good luck in the future.

[beyond the sea]

GREAT POST............. man, I knew you were one of the very wise oned here.

:-)

[beyond the sea]

whilst using i had an easy 7-fiugre income, was stable as hell, owned office buildings, and net worth of 17-21 $mil---for Me, it was medicine---that may not apply to others

Are you from Pittsburgh?

;-)

[beyond the sea]

Whoah, I'm, like, having a thread flashback ... to January, I think.

LOL................... me too.

[beyond the sea]

Agreed, ............. and someone (122) mentioned .......... we're having a "thread flashback" here.

LOL

[beyond the sea]

The Unabomber took LSD

Did he drink carrot juice too?

;-)