Acid/LSD

Acid/LSD is one of the major drugs in the hallucinogenic category. It was discovered in 1938 and is one of the most powerful mood-altering drugs available. It comes from lysergic acid, hence the name acid. This acid is found in ergot, a fungus that grows on grains, such as rye.

LSD is sold on the streets as tablets or capsules, but it is also available in its liquid form. There is no smell or color to it and it has a slightly bitter taste. Sometimes it is added to absorbent paper and divided into small, decorated squares. One square of this paper contains one dose of the drug, which is usually between 20 and 80 milligrams.

The effects of using Acid/LSD are unpredictable. The result of taking a dose depends on many factors, such as the user’s age, personality, mood, expectation and the setting for using the drug. The physical effects include such things as:

• Dilated pupils
• Raise in body temperature
• Faster heart rate
• Higher blood pressure
• Profuse sweating
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Dry mouth
• Shakes and tremors

The physical changes do not occur as rapidly as the feelings and sensations a user gets from acid/LSD. He/she may feel many different emotions at once or may experience rapid mood swings. If the dose is large enough, visual hallucinations and delusions result. The person may see different colors or hear different sounds. It can be frightening and cause a sense of panic.

Those who use acid/LSD call the experience a “trip” and one with adverse reactions, a “bad trip”. The sensations tend to last about twelve hours, but many users experience flashbacks within a few days or even as long as a year after they have taken the drug. These are only a part of the effects of this drug because the frightening sensations can leave a user with severe emotional problems, such as schizophrenia or severe depression.

As with other drugs, if one keeps taking acid/LSD, the body develops a tolerance, so larger and larger doses are needed. This could lead to an overdose and death.