From: pwh@bradley.bradley.edu (Pete Hartman)
Subject: Re: LSD The facts!
Organization: Bradley University
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 14:17:09 GMT

In <1992Aug27.223755.1@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au> edd709psft@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au writes:

Any chance you can straighten this guy out on a few things?

>    - LSD causes distortions in thinking and feeling and its chemical 
>      structure causes hallucinations and delusions and changes, permanently
>      the chemistry of the brain.

There is no conclusive evidence of such a thing, no matter what he may
feel.  It's more likely he's imprinted a "permanent" psychological change
to his brain.

>    - dizziness, weaknesses, tremors, nausea and parathesis are prominent
>      bodily symptoms

Not necessarily by any stretch.  Not to mention, you could claim the same
symptoms for alcohol and any of a dozen other drugs.

>    - psychological aspects include paranoia, irreversible personality
>      changes, depression after and during use can bring on suicidal thoughts
>      to escape traumatic feelings and emotions

Only if you're unstable, and in a frightening environment.  A user has
a duty to his/herself to stay where they know they can handle the setting.
If your mindset is positive and your setting is safe (to you) then you
can avoid these problems easily.

>    - physical damages include depletion of brain cells thus brain damage,
>      chromosomal mutations and damages to the nervous system

This is utter bullshit.  None of these effects have been shown significantly.
The most widely quoted study "demonstrating" chromosomal damage used aspirin
and caffiene as controls, and they produced MORE damage than the LSD.
Not to mention, it studies the effects of these drugs on cells in Petri
dishes at incredible concentrations, which really has little bearing on the
state your body is in when using them.

>    - LSD is used in experimentation to produce a state of hyper arousal
>      of the central nervous system. It is used to induce psychotic 
>      reactions and other such feelings akin to psychosis and madness

This is also BS, as spouted by the medical establishment of the 60's.
The reason they got psychotic results is because they didn't pay any
attention to the importance of set and setting.

>    - LSD is tastless, odourless and invisible thus you can never tell if
>      it actually is a trip you are getting, or something stronger like PCP

This is a good argument against all forms of acid except blotter.  I don't
think you can get enough PCP on a blotter square to mess you up.

>    - PCP (Angel Dust) produces a form of sensory isolation that is stronger
>      than LSD; disorientation, distortion of body image, complete numbness,
>      sweating, rapid heart rate and hyper tension. A slight overdose can 
>      shut down the central nervous system and lead to death.

PCP is an animal tranquilizer.  I don't recommend it either.

>...I have tried to research and put onto paper facts about LSD usage and 
>related hallucinogenic drugs. I have provided you with only medical facts
>excluding medical opinion,

This is false.  The "facts" cited are not, and the info about "psycotic
reactions" is opinion.  There is a small percentage of the population that
is susceptable to psychotic reactions to LSD, but if one is not stupid
in wantonly abusing the drug the vast majority of times it's safe.  (You
could get drunk and fall off a high stair or get run over by a car too
now).

>Once you reach your ultimate experience, your personality will change 
>dramatically and there is nothing you can do to change what you encountered.

1) I have yet to see such a permanent radical phenomenon in anyone I've
known to take LSD.
2) your personality changes some every day.  The point is?

>You will never know what you are buying, it may be labelled a trip but you
>don't know what it really is, where it comes from, who made it or what is in
>it.

This is the only valid point he makes.  It's VERY important not to rely on
shady strangers for things like this.

>	Finally, you think its or 'just a trip', be careful this is the biggest
>distortion of the drug. Ask anyone outside the drug culture, perhaps a G.P.
>he will advise you to stay away from those drugs, not because he is
>exaggerating, but because they know the facts, their views about the drug
>aren't distorted."

"Anyone outside the drug culture" is probably parroting the same tired
mistaken ideas (like chromosomal damage) that have been being used to try
to scare people off "the drug" since the 60's.  Their views ARE distorted
because they can't seem to think critically about the fact that the studies
show pretty well that under controlled (but not sterile) conditions, LSD
is one of the safest drugs you can take.

>Even though a lot of you out there may know most of these facts I thought
>I'd post it anyway. I'd appreciate any comments because I think it's 
>important for the ravers of the world to atleast come to terms with what
>they are doing.

I don't recommend any illegal drug--it will likely get you arrested.

But the hyperbolic rationalizations of the establishment about what
horrible things drugs will do to you are exactly that--exaggerated
rationalizations.  It sounds like this guy had a bad trip and went
into anti-drug mode because he scared himself shitless.  This can
happen, but is unlikely IF YOU ARE CAREFUL about sources, set, and
setting.  If anyone in alt.rave cares, I'm sure someone can manage to
post the LSD FAQ from alt.drugs here.  It is considerably more factual
and cites specific studies (if I recall correctly) supporting it's
facts.
-- 
Pete Hartman		       Bradley University	pwh@bradley.bradley.edu
                                   Haazavaa?