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Drugs of Abuse:
Psychedelics
• Psychedelics cause perceptual distortions that
include hallucinations, illusions, and disorders of
thinking such as paranoia.
Types of Psychedelics
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Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD or Acid)
Psilocybin Mushrooms (Shrooms’)
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Ketamine (Special K)
Mescaline
• Many psychedelics have chemical structures that are very similar to
human neurotransmitters….
Norepinephrine
Mescaline
 Almost all hallucinogenics contain a nitrogen in their structure, and are
therefore considered alkaloids
 Psychedelic compounds have a high affinity for serotonin 5-HT
receptors, but the different compounds have affinity for specific receptor
subtypes.
• Psychedelic drugs are among the oldest used substances by
people….
• Throughout history, many cultures have accepted the use of
psychedelics for various reasons, such as religious
experiences, attempting to be closer to nature, and also
recreational use.
• In the 1960s, the use of psychedelics was widespread.
Psychedelics quickly became associated with various political
movements and rebellion. Many problems erupted between
people of different generations because of varying
perspectives.
• Acid is the most potent hallucinogenic drug and produces significant
psychedelic effects with a total dose of as little as 25 to 50 µg. For
instance, acid is 3000 times more potent than mescaline. Threshold
effects using this drug may be observed with a dose as little as 20 µg.
• Acid is typically sold as a liquid or on blotter paper (postage stamp size
with little squares drawn in).
LSD continued………
• LSD is considered to be non-addictive.
• Signs of LSD ingestion include pupillary dilation, increased blood pressure
and pulse,flushing, salivation, lacrimation, and hyperreflexia.
• Visual effects are prominent. Colors seem more intense, and shapes may
appear altered. The subject may focus attention on unusual items such as
the pattern of hairs on the back of the head.
• Sometimes acid may cause a “bad trip,” which consists of severe anxiety.
Subjects experiencing this are not pleasant to be around. During this time,
subjects do things that they would not normally do, such as jumping out of
a window.
• “Flashbacks” are a psychological phenomenon in which a subject
experiences the subjective effects of acid long after the drug has worn off.
This can happen days, weeks, months, or even years after the drug has
worn off. Imagine taking a medicinal chemistry test and having a
flashback during the test.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Clip
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_EvWIlEi
x4
• Claims about the potential of acid enhancing
psychotherapy and for treating addictions and
other mental disorders have not been
supported by controlled treatment outcome
studies.
• Therefore, acid is illegal and is classified as a
Schedule I drug, meaning that it has no known
medical use and has the potential to be highly
abused by the public.
Structure of LSD
• Psilocybin mushrooms are fungi that contain
the psychoactive substances psilocybin and
psilocin.
• Other terms for psilocybin mushrooms are
“magic mushrooms” or just “shrooms”
• Shrooms are typically dried out completely
before they are consumed orally.
• Hallucinogenic mushrooms have a long history
among Mesoamericans, they were used for
divination, religious communion, and healing.
• Shrooms were known by the Aztecs literally as
“God’s mushrooms” or “flesh of the God’s.”
• The Spanish believed that these mushrooms
allowed the Aztec’s to communicate with
devils.
• Many people believe that the hallucinogenic effects of
shrooms are due to psilocybin’s poisonous nature. This is a
misconception. The Center for Disease Control rated
psilocybin less toxic than asprin.
• A typical dose of mushrooms is 1-2 grams or dried
mushrooms. This corresponds to 10-25 mg of psilocybin.
• Effects caused by shrooms begin about 30 min. after
consumption and last nearly 5 hours. During this period,
laughing is somewhat uncontrollable and visual hallucinations
caused by organic objects are typical.
• Psilocybin acts by affinity to serotonin 5-HT receptors.
• There have been requests for medical investigation for the
use of synthetic and mushrooms derived psilocybin for the
development of various mental conditions, including chronic
cluster headaches, following reports of numerous anecdotal
reports.
• There are also several reports of psilocybin mushrooms
sending OCD and OCD-related clinical depression into
complete remission immediately and for months at a time.
Works Cited
• Brunton, Lawrence. Goodman & Gilman’s “The Pharmacological Basis of
Therapeutics.” 2006.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin_mushrooms
• http://www.karlgrandin.com/wp-content/uploads/peace-psilocybin.jpg
• http://www.hofmann.org/papers/tifpr/tifpr.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LSD