[PAGE 1]
THNSMITTAL SLIP  2C2
10:Mu
FOONO GUILUING
RENAINS: Attcked me f
Chi infors De/ procesgforNuess rd ∠SD.

Jab 61-224 B= 2

Renarks You rav.recall

ふい… 8 i

26 October 1954 6-19

INTELLIGENCE

Ivailabiity of LSD ed Syathesis by

failabye only in spall i seferal chanpels, inlyAtaché, that the lograms of this. Sted thy services  a companied Mr. ↓ómpany. turaed bat in theiy possession

t gérived fron ergot leeasure to the fact In limited quantities and als.

led sinceand al total syrthesis of pch step oftheir syntaceis is of otyer products els tzat in z matte of litzes.

4.Hitberto, LSDy couid not be considered seriously as a candidate Chemical Wyarfare agert for overt use This was dueto two factory. 1 2) Unti receatyy only vctatile liquids could be dissernnated ja a suitagte fashigs in buly. LSD is a sold.

Castit mitathuy CPe, 10/30

6

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MEMORANDUM FOR: DIRECTOR, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

VIA. : Deputy Director (Piks)

75.3514

Potential Large-scale Availability of LSD through Newly-discovered Syathesis by

1. Up to the present time LSD has been available only in small . amounts. In 1953 it was reported to us through several channels, including a message from a Uzited States Military Attache, that the had 10 kilograms of this material for sale. You will recall that we enlisted the services of a representative of out that, according tomat least, the amount in their possession was in gram rather than kilogram quantities.

2. The availability of materials of this sort derived from ergot in such small quantity is probably due in a large measure to the fact that ergot itself is a natuzal product produced in limited quantities and containing only a small amount of active materials.

3. This situation is now completely changed since wrryanas developed a practicable commercial total synthesis of LSD using readily available raw materials. Each step of their synthesis has been accorplished in comparable syntheses of other products in pilot-plant quantides. Therefore, feels that in a matter of months LSD could be avzilable in tonnage quantities,

4.Hitherto, LSD could not be considered seriously as z candidate Chemical Warfare agent for.overt use, This was due to two factors:

z) Until recently only volatile liquids could be disseminated in a suitable fashioz in bulk.. LSD is a solid,

rat bu CPC 10/30 0/

54-78

26 October 1954

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b) LSD could not be obtained in sufficient çuuntitics.

LSD can pow be produeed ia quantity and rccent technical developmenta make it possible to disserinate solids in an cffcctive manner.

'5. Most of the sigzificant information currently available on the disabling cffects of LSD on humans has been obtained from the research activities supported during the past thrce years by the Chemical Divisioa ofk under the direction of Ee ois continuing its rescarch effort toward developing a capability for covert use of this material and the availability of LSD in large quantities will not affect our program. However, we fcel it is hignly . advisable that certain components of the Department of Defcase be advised'of both the zew syntheses at Lilly and our data on the effccts of this material on human beings.

6. y therefore intends to apprise the Chemical Corps and the. Air Force of this irformstion through previously established scientific charnels. Since the covert use of this material is not affected by this new situation, we will advise these components of the Depart-. ment of Defense that any restrictions on dissemization of information to the public on LSD should be initiated by them.

7.The above is furnished for your information only. No action is required,