There are two different kinds of hallucinogens. Both LSD and MDMA (Ecstasy) are synthetic, made in laboratories, while mescaline is a non-human-made substance obtained from cactus. As peyote, it is ingested in religious ceremonies by Native Americans. Each of these substances has short-term effects, which are characterized as "high" and "psychedelic" experiences. In essence, they affect the brain and nervous system through the neurotransmitters, leading to alterations in the brains processing of information. They also activate different regions of brain, leading to visual and auditory hallucinations, and to feelings of pleasure, or paranoia, as the case may be. They can be fatal, with one use sometimes leading to drug toxicity or problems such as Mallory-Weiss syndrome and botulism. Long-term use tends to do more damage to the nervous system, leading to problems with memory, learning, language, and other neurotransmitter irregularities, such as seizures.
Although LSD is not as visible in the news or the popular culture as it was during the 1960s and 1970s, it is still one of the available hallucinogens that people use and abuse. It may be even more potent than earlier varieties of LSD, and on the street, the chances of obtaining pure forms of it, or any of the hallucinogens, are very low. In the following pages, the intention is to explore the composition of some hallucinogens, their impact on people, and the consequences of their use for individuals.
There are different kinds of hallucinogens. Some of the drugs, like LSD, are human-made, while others are natural. In general, they are termed psychedelic drugs because they impact the individuals nervous system. In the case of LSD, this drug was first synthesized decades ago from lysergic acid diethylamide. It was used in many experimental settings, including the academic and the military, in order to learn its properties and applications.
Essentially, LSD works...