Hallucinogens distort the user’s perception of the world by producing illusions - either intensifying or distorting the senses. A different effect may be experienced each time the drug is taken. The user can experience a whole range of feelings, from ecstatic joy to persecution and panic.

D-Lysergic Acid Diethlyamide ....otherwise known as L.S.D., Acid, Trips, Tabs. L.S.D. is either printed onto pieces of paper (of which there are over 40 different designs, for example, strawberries, white doves, Bart Simpson, Batman.......) or it comes in microdots. The ‘blotters’ or microdots are swallowed and the effects (the trip) take about 30 minutes to about an hour to begin but they can last for 8 hours with the effects fading after 12.

ACID is a class A drug, so it carries the same penalties as heroin or cocaine if you are found with it.

Why do some people report the best time of their lives and others the worst? The effects of L.S.D. can differ greatly depending on how you are feeling at the time where you are and who you are with. If you are feeling upset or agitated in any way then the effects of L.S.D. will exacerbate this. Similarly, if you are in unfamiliar circumstances and/or with people that you do not know very well or do not trust, then the likelihood of you having a bad ‘trip’ are heightened.

Another factor is that the user has absolutely no idea about how much LSD a blotter or microdot contains - it could be anything between 35 and 400 micrograms. A dose of between 35 and 65 micrograms will provide a relatively mild experience and anything over 100 micrograms will give strong effects (these will all seem relatively small amounts when one considers that a postage stamp weighs about 60,000 micrograms!).

So what do I do if a friend is ‘on a bad one’? If someone is having a bad trip, they may become panicky, depressed and/or paranoid and may think that they are going mad. The best thing to do in this situation is to get the person out of the situation, to a nice, quiet place. Be sure to reassure them, calm them and talk about nice things, literally anything that will keep them thinking in reality; this may be a programme on TV that they enjoy, etc.

Once the trip had worn off, they may feel panicky or depressed for a few days; and could experience flashbacks for up to a couple of months after the trip.

What are flashbacks? Flashbacks will normally only last a few minutes and are a vivid reliving of a past trip. They can leave you feeling anxious, disorientated or distressed. There is an increased chance of this happening if you use cannabis.

Is LSD addictive? There is no evidence to suggest that you can become physically addicted to LSD. However, a tolerance to it builds up rapidly (it takes larger doses to achieve the same effects). Tolerance disappears after 6 days, so bear this in mind, don’t think that you can have a larger dose the following weekend without experiencing more pronounced effects.

What about other hallucinogens?…… (also see Magic Mushrooms) Probably the most commonly abused other hallucinogen is Magic Mushrooms. As the name suggests, these are mushrooms (called Psilocybe Mexicana) that contain the substances psilocin and psilocybin which have hallucinogenic properties similar to LSD.

About a dozen varieties of this mushroom grow in the UK, the most common is the Liberty Cap. The harvesting season is between September and November.

After picking, the mushrooms are either eaten raw, cooked, boiled in a ‘tea’ or dried for later consumption. Up to 30 mushrooms will produce an experience similar to a low dose of LSD.

Picking and possession of the mushrooms themselves is not illegal but once you prepare them for use (eg, boiling or drying), then they are prohibited under the Misuse of Drugs Act- and the drugs they contain are strictly controlled as Class A.

Other hallucinogens derived from plants include mescaline and morning glory which come from plants found in Central and South America, nutmeg and DMT which is native to plants in South America and the West Indies. PCP (phencyclidine), a veterinary anaesthetic, and Ketamine Hydrochloride, a short acting general anaesthetic are also used.
ALL HALLUCINOGENS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE GRAVE EFFECTS ON YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING