h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For many years, Lysergic Acid Diethylmide (sp?)
was legal.
Many enterprising young chemists tried their hand at it, including the famous Owlsley.
It was used for "serious" research and for quasi-religious "mind-expanding" rituals until some pranksters got into the habit of spiking punch and Kool-aid with it, without the knowledge of the consumers.

Once it became illegal, it fell into the hands of criminals, who, to this day, still sell it on lickable stickers printed with kiddy animals and Pokemon characters, under the name "Sunshine".

It is also found in the form of "blotter" and "microdot".
As late as the mid-eighties, I was still encountering acidheads who mixed it's use with other substances.

On the whole, LSD is not a substance to be played with, as you have no idea what you are really getting without an analysis. Various adulterants and mis-readings have led to batches that are poisonous or sickening.

I have always found the whole drug "culture" frightening, as I have trouble dealing with reality while drug-free. I don't even like common "over-the-counter" drugs.

Thanks
Interesting history of one drug!
Amazing it is still around,I did not realize that,figured it faded away!

There are far too many mood and brain altering substances and users in my opionion. Legal and otherwise. Sad really. Some folks truely need them, and they ARE a blessing!

I cannot drink at all. Makes me ill. I kind of miss the once or twice a year drinks. I certainly would not forbid it for others.But......
It IS astounding to me it is being LOUDLY promoted as good medicine. I know it has good dietary benefits/heart and so on, but considering the stats on abuse,violence and addiction. It seems odd and distasteful for a government to help *promote* it!

Oh I could go on and on at this point but I will not

They used to actually 'issue' rum to sailors and the French, I believe, still issue wine to their troops.

And you know about the thing with the pilots and speed.

LRRP's, Long Range Reconnaisance Patrol troops, used to go out into the jungle with uppers in one pocket and downers in the other. They apparently were skilled at removing scouts and sentries in addition to their other duties.

Police officers, in some towns and cities, were considered unfriendly if they didn't drink a little when they made courtesy calls on bars and clubs.

And the incidence of drug abuse among medical personnel is still a dark and rarely dealt-with secret.

Of course, a case can be made, that people might try to drown themselves a bit less if their waking reality wasn't so dreary.
On the other hand, the number of alcoholic and drug-addicted rich people seems to scotch that idea.

The pilots *news* was a bit surprizing to be publisized. It did make me wonder about others in miltary/soldier situations.

How about the tranqilizing weapon for *disarming* and supposedly disharming people in large numbers. As in the sad Russian theater incident, no surprise that one dose does not fit all.

I keep wondering what else they have as crowd agents. Maybe they could incite soldiers in that way ?

I was reading about a Gulf War Veteran in Texas that is claiming the exposure to chemicals gave him brain damage and incited him to murder and rape. He has numerous bravery medals. I am wandering off topic but seems they should give him the appropriate brain scan before his final death. I am cynical for sure, I have even wondered if US *tested* their own weapons in the Gulf War.

The combo of pesticide,radiation and petroleum products is blend of pollutants known to cause some future luekemias. One product could, let alone all 3, throw in something else and who knows what happens!

Since medical 'science' and industry are capable of creating ailments and conditions that they cannot treat, let alone cure, it is not surprising that taking a substantial population of people and picking them up from their normal environment and plopping them down in an alien environment could lead to problems.

Add to that the canned food, strange flora and months of sand inhalation and you get a real interesting mix of potential problems.

Toss in the various injections and lotions and substances that were applied to the soldiers to protect them from some facets of biochemical warfare and you have a recipe for all kind of genetic mutations and personal problems.

Of course, the body and the brain, while related, are not so interconnected that a body condition always leads to a mental one.
Since the military kind of likes people who demonstrate a certain level of dependable aggression, it is possible to find all kinds of people among the generations of veterans.

How true on all acounts