{{{ *** L.S.D. *** ***INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE ***}}} ============================== Before we go any further, let me just state that neither I, the editor or the distributor of this magazine condone either the USE, SALE or DISTRIBUTION of L.S.D. or any other illegal substances. The manufacture, possession and distribution (either for money or free) of LSD is illegal in the whole of Europe and the United States! In the U.K. LSD is a "Class A" drug - the same as heroin. However, I feel that people are still going to experiment with L.S.D. as it is comparitively cheap compared to any other illegal drug. It can also be very dangerous and psychologically damaging, so in the spirit of freedom of information and "prevention is better than cure" what now follows is a brief history of and guide to the safe use of psychedelic drugs generally but L.S.D. in particular. {{ ITS APPEARANCE & DOSAGE}} ----------------------- LSD, Acid or Trips usually come on small squares of paper call "tabs" with a little design on the front, from which the batch gets its name, i.e. Purple Ohms, Penguins, Strawberries, Exploding Test-Tubes, Sunbeams, Gorbachovs, Heavenly Keys, Ferns/Fractals, Red Dragons, etc. Very occasionally in comes in "microdot" form - LSD enclosed in a small crystal that has the benefit of keeping it fresh for much longer. A tab of LSD will decrease rapidly in strength (from its average of about 75 microgrammes, under half the strength of an average tab in the 1960's) if it is exposed to light, heat or moisture when it can drop to about 25 microgrammes, and chlorine in tap water destroys LSD completely - while it is still on the tab. So, you are never sure of how strong the tab will be, even if they are from the same batch - this is a dangerous aspect of the drug, in that even if you just want a bit of a "trippy time" you may end up undergoing a really major internal experience you are not prepared for. Generally speaking, the higher the dose the more intense the trip - a dose of 25 mcgms. can be similar to being stoned off cannabis or drunk; 75 - 125 mcgms. can affect internal thoughts and feelings and will distort and enhance sights, sounds, smells and physical feelings for about 8 hours, while a heavy dose of about 200 - 250 mcgms. can result in major hallucinations, and changes in thoughts and feelings. At this dose the experience can last for up to 12 hours which is why careful planning is called for. At about 400 - 450 mcgms. there seems to come a saturation point where the experience neither lasts longer or is any stronger. Healthwise, large doses of LSD can send people into shock, and prolonged periods of dancing can cause injury or death from dehydration and fatigue. If at a rave drink a pint of water an hour and take breaks so as not to over-strain yourself. Have breaks at the same time with your friends so you can make sure you are all OK and chat about how you are feeling. Look after each other. In real emergencies, tranquilisers can be administered by doctors to calm the experience, but this should only be necessary in extreme cases. LSD affects your nervous system directly, and is not damaging to your body in the way tha cocaine or heroin is. Nor is it physically or psychologically addictive (that is, you will not become ill if you never take another trip again, no matter how many you have taken before). But what it does do is change the way you look at reality, and that can be much more dangerous in certain circumstances. {{"GOOD TRIPS" AND "BAD TRIPS"}} ---------------------------- The first thing to say here is that there is no such thing as a "bad trip" in the way that you can have a "bad E". An E can (and often is) cut with cocaine, heroin, ketamine, anti- hystamines, caffiene, etc. But a trip is a trip, pure LSD, and the only thing that varies is the *strength* of the dose. For example, if you feel more energetic off one trip than another, it means either one was stronger than the other, or you moved about more when one was "coming up" than the other. Chemically, trips are all the same. But, the golden rule is: DO NOT TOUCH LSD, "E" OR ANY OTHER PSYCHEDELIC DRUG IF YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF MENTAL ILLNESS, ANY DOUBTS ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH OR HEART PROBLEMS This is very important! So if acid varies only in dose, what causes "good" & "bad" trips? SET and SETTING. SET means the way your are feeling in yourself before you take the drug. If you are feeling at all depressed, insecure or lonely DO NOT take acid. If you take acid on the spur of the moment, "because it is there" you are more likely to have a bad one because you are not prepared for what may happen. Even if you have tripped before, the human mind is such a complex organ that no-one knows for sure how it all works, and each trip can differ widely. SETTING means when and where you take the drug. If you must take acid, take it with your closest friends, in a place where you will not be disturbed, and make sure you have no worries about getting to food or drinks, or being cold, etc. For more details on this see "Planning a Trip", below. In summary, here are the main rules for taking LSD; 1: DO NOT TRIP ALONE! Do it with your most trusted friends, in a place where you will not be disturbed. 2: NEVER "SPIKE" ANYONE'S DRINK WITH LSD, even if they are experienced with the drug - this can cause the onset of panic attacks and bad trips. 3: DO NOT TRY TO CONTROL THE TRIP - once underway, do not fight it. Instead try to "go with the flow", turn your mind off. 4: If at a rave drink a pint of water an hour and take breaks so as not to over-strain yourself or dehydrate. This is how most people die from Acid and E. 5: DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER LSD - alcohol is a depressant, and you do not want to be depressed on acid. {{ PLANNING A TRIP}} --------------- The most important thing to realise here is that you can never plan a trip totally as each "session" is different. Having said that, if you try to safeguard yourselves against dangers you are far more likely to have a better time and not harm yourselves. Firstly, the "set" - certain people are more suited to tripping than others; those who are by nature more trusting, religious/spiritual, calm, open, courageous, curious, imaginative, warm and creative are more likely to have positive experiences. In contrast, those who constantly need to be in control of a situation, or are overly concerned with their appearance, distrustful, cynical, narrow-minded, paranoid, cowardly or cold are less likely to have a good time. That is not to say that someone who expresses one of these characteristics should never trip, but if it is recognised then plans can and should be made to handle any emotional reactions that occur. And now on to the "setting" (with experienced and/or prepared trippers, the setting is less important - but with novices or the ill - prepared the setting, especially the actions of others, matters a great deal) : - Who do I trip with? If in a relatively confined space such as a house, up to five people in total is recommended, but a total of 3-4 is preferred. If at a rave it doesn't really matter, but stick with your best friends. ** The most important thing is to trust yourselves and each other absolutely **. If there is anything that is unsaid between you that may cause problems (e.g "does she think I fancy her?", "did he tell so-and-so about that private thing?" etc.) get it out in the open well before the trip so none of you will get paranoid about it. - Trip with someone who has done it before. Talk to them about what it is like and the sort of things you can expect. Read books on psychedelics and similar religious experiences. Then you will be more likely to react calmly if the unusual happens. - Trip in a place where you will not be disturbed or distracted, free from unexpected visitors and telephone calls, etc. Trip in a familiar place, where food, light, non-alcoholic drinks, music, cigarettes, privacy, bedding etc. is all available - in short, sort out all the mundane hassles so you have nothing to worry about when you are tripping. - Leave the day after the trip free of commitments so you do not have to worry about tomorrow or how you will seem to other people. As for the people you trip with, they are all on the same stuff as you, so don't worry! Forget about how you look or are acting - you will all be doing unusual things so don't let that worry you! - Dropping it: a medium dosage of LSD, as outlined above, will take 20-30 minutes to start coming up, but this will vary according to the setting - in a rave it well may come up very fast, because there is so much there to bombard your senses. One regular tab usually takes about 45 minutes. If someone feels sick, it is probably because they are nervous - LSD does not make you sick. Talk to them, take them outside for a walk, or do whatever may calm them down. Reassure them and they will be OK. - On it: do not try to control it. Do not try to think about it. Instead, your job is just to look at things and listen to things - turn your rational mind off, have fun, go with the flow and relax! Also, keep a friendly check on each other - ask each other if you are OK, and if anyone is feeling a bit emotional, or worried reassure them and generally calm them down. Remember, if someone gets pretty bad remind them that they are tripping, it is not real, and that the acid will wear off and everything will be back to normal afterwards. - Afterwards: the next day, it is doubtful you will have slept much! Have a wash, something to eat and spend the day with your friends, doing nothing strenuous, but just keeping together if anyone wants to chat about it. Don't try to analyse it too much yet. Relax and unwind. {{ A BRIEF HISTORY OF L.S.D.}} ------------------------- d-Lysergic acid diethylamide - 25, or LSD, "Acid", "trips" etc. was invented accidentally by the Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman in 1943 (as recently celebrated on the "50th Anniversary of LSD" compilation album on Source records). Legend has it that he was researching painrelievers for pregnant women when he absorbed some of the drug through the skin of his fingertips. A few minutes later he felt a bit ill, so he proceeded to ride home on his bicycle where he experienced the first acid trip ever. The drug was then researched for its uses in treating mental illness (especially schizophrenia), depression, etc. until it leaked out to the public in large quantities in the U.S.A. in the late 'sixties, when it was duly banned. All research was similarly brought to a standstill in the West, until fairly recently. * * * * * If you need confidential advice or information about any aspect of drugs then try contacting "Lifeline", 101-103 Oldham Street, MANCHESTER, M4 1LW or phone 061 - 839 2054. Look after yourselves and don't take unnecessary risks! {{ Trap#14 - London, England }} May 94