LSD
Timeline
| Nov 16, 1938 | Albert Hofmann, a chemist working for Sandoz Pharmaceutical in Basel, Switzerland, is the first to synthesize LSD-25. He discovered LSD, a semi-synthetic derivative of ergot alkaloids, while looking for a blood stimulant. 1 | |
| Apr 16, 1943 | Albert Hofmann accidentally experiences a small amount of LSD for the first time. This is the first human experience with pure LSD-25. He reports seeing "an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopelike play of colors." The experience lasted just over two hours. | |
| Apr 19, 1943 | Bicycle Day - Albert Hofmann intentionally takes (250 ug) LSD for the first time. This is the first intentional us of LSD. 2 | |
| 1947 | First article on LSD's mental effects published by Werner Stoll in the Swiss Archives of Neurology. | |
| 1949 | Dr. Max Rinkel brings LSD to the United States from Sandoz Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland and initiates work with LSD in Boston; Nick Bercel commences LSD study in Los Angeles. 3 | |
| 1950 - 1960 | Hundreds of papers published discussing LSD. | |
| May 1950 | First article about LSD appears in the American Psychiatric Journal. 3 | |
| 1951 | CIA becomes aware of and begins experimenting with LSD. | |
| 1951 | Al Hubbard first tries LSD. 3 | |
| 1952 | Charles Savage publishes the first study on the use of LSD to treat depression. | |
| 1953 | First LSD clinic opened to the public in England under Ronald Sandison. Separately, unwitting subjects in the United States were given LSD in the CIA funded Project MK-Ultra to test the effects of the drug. | |
| 1953 | Dr. Humphrey Osmond begins treating alcoholics with LSD. 3 | |
| 1955 | First conferences focusing on LSD and mescaline take place in Atlantic City and Princeton, N.J. | |
| 1955 | Aldous Huxley first takes LSD. The publication of Huxley's 'Heaven and Hell'. 3 | |
| 1959 | Josiah Macy Foundation sponsors major scientific congress on LSD. 3 | |
| 1959 | Allen Ginsberg tries LSD for the first time. 3 | |
| 1960 | Harvard University's Timothy Leary establishes the Psychedelic Research Project. | |
| 1962 | Congress passes new drug safety regulations and the FDA designates LSD an experimental drug and restricts research. The first LSD related arrests are made by the FDA. 3 | |
| 1963 | LSD first appears on the streets (liquid on sugar cubes). Articles about LSD first appear in mainstream media (Look, Saturday Evening Post). 4 | |
| May 1963 | Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert are fired from Harvard. 3 | |
| Feb 1965 | Owsley "Bear" Stanley first succeeded in synthesizing crystalline LSD. Earliest distribution was March 1965. 5 | |
| 1966 | Leary founds the League of Spiritual Development, with LSD as the sacrement. 6 | |
| Mar 25, 1966 | Life publishes cover article on LSD. "LSD: The Exploding Threat of the Mind Drug that Got Out of Control". | |
| Apr 1966 | Sandoz Pharmaceutical recalled the LSD it had previously distributed and withdrew its sponsorship for work with LSD. 6 | |
| Oct 6, 1966 | LSD becomes illegal in California. 7 | |
| 1967 | Summer of Love in San Francisco. First human be-in. | |
| Oct 24, 1968 | Possession of LSD is banned federally in the U.S. after the passage of the Staggers-Dodd Bill (Public Law 90-639) which amended the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. | |
| Summer 1969 | Orange sunshine acid first appears. 4 | |
| 1970 | An estimated 1-2 million Americans have used LSD. | |
| Jun 1970 | Windowpane acid (gelatin squares) first reported by the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in the U.S. 8 [Details] | |
| Oct 27, 1970 | The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act is passed. Part II of this is the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) which defines a scheduling system for drugs. It places most of the known hallucinogens (LSD, psilocybin, psilocin, mescaline, peyote, cannabis, & MDA) in Schedule I. It places coca, cocaine and injectable methamphetamine in Schedule II. Other amphetamines and stimulants, including non-injectable methamphetamine are placed in Schedule III. | |
| Early 1970s | LSD impregnated paper ("blotter") first hit the streets. Very quickly the paper began being printed with colorful art. | |
| mid 1970's | Blotter paper begins to emerge as the most common form of LSD sold on the street. Previously it had been tablets and powder, but blotter and gel-tabs proved more consistent in purity and potency. 9 | |
| 1979 | Albert Hofmann publishes "LSD: My Problem Child." 2 | |
| May 2006 | Survey results published in Neurology show that both psilocybin-containing mushrooms and LSD may reduce severity and frequency of cluster headaches. 10 [Details] |
References
- Hofmann A. "Die Geschichte des LSD-25". Triangel Sandoz Zeitschrift fur Medizinische Wissenschaften. 1955;2(3):117-24. (as cited in Ott J. Pharmacotheon. 1993. pg 123.)
- Hofmann A. LSD: My Problem Child. J.P. Tarcher, 1979.
- Ray O, Ksir C. Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior. Mosby, 1996.
- Stafford P. Psychedelics Encyclopedia. Ronin, 1992.