LSD
(Known as Trips, Acid, Tabs, LSD)
What is it?
d-lysergic acid diethylamide. It usually comes on a square piece of paper or card with a picture or design on. As with many street drugs, it’s difficult to know how strong the dose will be, and it can vary quite a bit.
LSD is one of the strongest hallucinogenic drugs around. Hallucinogenic means it will change the way you see things and think about things, it can also alter sounds & your sense of touch. These experiences are most commonly known as a ‘trip’.
Effects
The LSD experience can last from six to over 12 hrs, depending on the user & how high the dose is. Users have reported some of the following:
- Fits of laughter
- Visuals (changes in shapes and colours)
- Paranoia (the feeling that people are against you, or things are going wrong)
- New ways of thinking about the world & life
- Appreciating the beauty in things
- Bad trips (a scary, nightmare-like experience)
- Flash-backs (the onset of a trip, sometimes weeks or months after you last took it)
Risks
Taking LSD can be a very intense, and doing it in the wrong state of mind, in the wrong place or with the wrong people can lead to a pretty scary experience.
Anything which makes you trip will affect your judgement – the user may be more likely to have an accident, or less able to avoid dangerous situations
If you have any psychological problems, the chances are that LSD will make them worse
Long term use can lead to psychological problems
Harm reduction
To lessen the risk of having a ‘bad trip’, it is important to consider the following:
- Do I have any doubts about taking LSD?
- Will I be with people I’m comfortable with, or friends who can look after me if I have a bad experience?
- Will I be in an environment where I’m comfortable eg. not too hectic, crowded with people I don’t know?
- If one of your friends is having a bad experience on LSD, take them to a quiet, safe place. Tell them that it is just the drug making them feel this way, and it will wear off soon. Above all, STAY WITH THEM.
The Law
LSD is illegal – a Class A substance. It carries a maximum penalty of 7 years + and unlimited fine for possession, and a maximum of life in prison for dealing