Drug Effects - Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD

LSD is a semi-synthetic drug made of lysergic acid. Also known as Lysergide or LSD-25, it is a colourless, tasteless, odourless, crystalline substance which is soluble in water or alcohol. The street name for LSD is Acid. Common illegal forms of LSD include -

LSD is listed in Part III of Schedule 2 of the South African Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, 1992 (Act No 140 of 1992) as an Undesirable Dependence- Producing Substance. However, from a pharmacological point-of-view it is not considered as being dependence producing.

The effects of LSD

The effects of LSD strongly depend on the mental state of the user and the circumstances in which the drug is used. Therefore, the same dose can produce good and bad ‘trips’ in the same person, depending on the circumstances in which the drug is used.

The sought-after effects of LSD are -

• changes in mood an sensory perception;

• ‘mind expansion’ as a key to quasi-religious transcendental experiences; and

• effects similar to those associated with Ecstasy-type substances: feelings of empathy and increased sociability.

The possible short-term effects of LSD are -

• a distorted perception of depth, time, and the size and shape of objects;

• hallucinations (that is, stationary objects appear to be moving) (Generally the user knows that these effects are unreal; true hallucinations are relatively rare.); 

• heightened senses (sight, sound and touch);

• psychological or emotional effects such as anxiety, depression, dizziness, disorientation and paranoia;

• physical effects such as dilated pupils, lowered body temperature, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating, rapid heart rate; and convulsions;

LSD use increases a person’s risk of injury, especially when the person drives a car, or performs other complex tasks such as operating machinery.

The possible long-term effects of LSD are -

• a growing tolerance to the drug, which disappears quickly after use of the drug is stopped;

• flashbacks (that is, short-lived, intense re-experiences of part of a previous trip) which can occur days or even months after the last dose has been taken, leading to disorientation, anxiety and distress;and 

• prolonged anxiety and depression after use of the drug is stopped.

The physical dangers of the long-term LSD use are unknown.

References

Terminology and Information on Drugs, Revised Edition, United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, New York, 1999.

Merck Index, 13th Edition, Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station NJ, 2001.

back to top