LSD; a cure for alcoholics

The illicit drug, LSD or better known as acid, is a hallucinogenic drug that is created in laboratories in Northern California, and runs wild in the Southern region. When LSD is used, it creates "perceptual distortions" and allows people to "see or hears things that don't, in reality, exist." Also, it is so damaging to the body, it can allow for a fuse of senses; that is "colors are heard and sounds are tasted."

"Some cultures have used hallucinogens for religious purposes, as a way to experience 'other realities' or to communicate with the supernatural." Many artists use hallucinogens for a "mind-expanding" experience that allows them to easier think out-of-the-norm and to become creative. Furthermore, scientists have used LSD in tests to cure alcoholics, having their subject take LSD to have an "out-of-body" experience and to judge themselves without prejudice, from a third-person view. Although there has been about a 60% success rate, there are a lot of intricacies that follow these tests, and the law declared this type of testing to be illegal for health reasons. Taking hardcore street and laboratory drugs can cause much harm to your body; physically and mentally. One of the most leading results of hardcore hallucinogens is schizophrenia; defined by dictionary.com as "a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements."

However, because the drug is a hot topic among moral and ethical issues, should this type of testing be allowed? What if the experiment goes wrong and the patient is involved in a "bad trip"? LSD can in some cases, lead to a beings death, how does this effect the research?  Although there are a lot of potential consequences for taking LSD, for medication purposes, I feel that it should be allowed with the patient meeting a certain number of qualifications in a hospital or laboratory. This way, they do not harm themselves physically or do not do such things as running into the middle of the street, uncontrollably. Although the Californian dream of being sober is prevalent, as seen by many Hollywood celebrities, the fact that LSD testing is illegal and cannot even be used as a last resort, is a limitation on ones' triumph to become sober by any means possible.

Comments

[Tyler Hay]

Most all drugs that are illegally abused today were originally created to help people either emotionally or physically. Although drugs can be effective, there should be limitations on how these drugs can be used. Medicinal marijuana is abused by some if not many people, along with vicodin and many other forms of medicine. This abuse results in tradgedies, deaths, and even murders. If people would have more self-determination and not give up so easily, most drugs would not be needed (such as LSD to help alcoholics) - preventing the abuse by other immoral people.