The Controversy and History of LSD - Comments

Oh sorry I misstated. It can cause a short term psychosis, but long term is rare. Estimates are pnly a few out of a thousand develop it. It'd be really interesting if they could study it more, but alas the government won't let that happen. It's one of the most interesting drugs ever invented.

here are books/articles to look at besides the ones I cited.

Tarshis, Maurice. The LSD Controversy. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, 1972.

Novak, Stephen J. “LSD Before Leary: Sidney Cohen’s Critique of 1950s Psychedelic Drug Research.” Isis 88, no. 1 (March 1997). http://www.jstor.org/pss/235827 (accessed September 30, 2008).

Ungerleider, J. Thomas. “The Acute Side Effects From LSD.” In The Problem and Prospects of LSD, edited by J. Thomas Ungerleider, 61-68. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1968.

Fisher, Duke. “The Chronic Side Effects from LSD,” in The Problems and Prospects of LSD, edited by J. Thomas Ungerleider, 69-79. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1968.

Ditman, Keith S. “The Value of LSD in Psychotherapy.” in The Problem and Prospects of LSD, edited by J. Thomas Ungerleider, 45-57. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1968.

U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. National Institute of Mental Health, Adverse Reaction to Hallucinogenic Drugs with Background Papers. edited by Roger Meyer. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1969.

Yeah I did a lot of research on that. I read many scientific journals from the 50s, 60s and 70s, when they were able to study LSD. While some drugs can increase mental illness, it is highly disputed that LSD does. It was researched that most people have an ok or positive experience. People who had a mental illness, depression etc or a family history of mental illness were more likely to develop problems. It can lead to a disassociation with reality but most people didn't use it constantly. I think the drugs are bad and can cause mental illness is definietly over exaggerated. Most drugs don't cause mental illness. It was thought in the beginning that LSD caused psychosis and schizophrenia but that was disproved. I can recommend some books that further explain this.

Interesting article and obviously thoroughly researched, although something you failed to mention was the effect of psychoactive drugs on the brain in the long term. Any drug that is psychoactive (which basically includes every recreational drug ever used) increases the users chances of developing mental illnesses, especially those that cause disassociation with reality. The greater the effect on the brain, the higher the chances of developing mental illness.
As many people found out in the 60's, LSD has a very noticeable effect on the brain, and, as many of the same people found out in the 80's and 90's, long term, or even in some cases, short term, use of LSD leads to a gradual disassociation with reality, often resulting in schizophrenia, hallucination, severe depression and general social dysfunction.

Gabe

It definintely seems you have done extensive research for your writing, but I'm sure your intended reviewer of your paper mentioned so anyway :) I'l just say that this piece has given me a vague change in my understanding of drug restraints and the pupose behind doing so --at least for LSD--, so thanks for posting :)