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A Guide to Drugs and the Brain



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LSD



LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is one of the major hallucinogenic drugs and one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals. LSD is sold on the street in tablets, capsules, or occasionally in liquid form. It is odorless, colorless and tasteless and is usually taken by mouth. Often it is added to absorbent paper, such as blotter paper, and divided into small squares with each square representing a dose.

Effects
Effects are unpredictable and depend on the amount taken, the user's personality, mood and expectations, and the surroundings in which the drug is used. Physical effects include higher body temperature, increased heart rate and blood pressure. Sensations and feelings change much more dramatically than the physical signs. The user may experience delusions and visual hallucinations which can cause panic. Users refer to acute negative reactions to LSD as "a bad trip." Many users experience flashbacks, a recurrence of certain aspects of a person's drug experience without the user having taken the drug again.

Common Street Names
Acid, beast, blue cheer, blue heaven, dot, Lucy in the sky with diamonds, cid (or sid).

Legal Status
LSD is a Schedule I drug in the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I includes drugs with a high potential for abuse and no accepted use in medicine.


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