The rise of the Hippy movement in the 1960's brought with it the first misuse of strong mind altering substances (Hallucinogens) such as LSD (Acid) and PCP (Angel Dust) and the weaker cannabis. Modern times has seen the rise of Ecstasy and the so called "Designer Drugs". While there are many hallucinogens in existence (as following some of our links will show), This page is intended to give information about those which are most commonly associated with misuse.
Hallucino - Stimulants
Pills of various colours and colour combinations. Can be of any variety of tablet or capsule form. There is no way of knowing what any given pill contains until it's effects begin.
Exhilaration and stimulation. a feeling of peace and love. Increased energy, reduced inhibitions, altered perceptions of colour and sound. It’s effects are a combination of the Hallucinogenic elements of LSD and the stimulant qualities of Amphetamine.
Danger of overheating and dehydration (many deaths have been due to this), blood clots, liver damage, kidney damage, brain damage, body co-ordination becomes affected, sickness, stiffness in joints especially the jaw, depression when the effects wear off, insomnia, chemical dependence, death. This drug can cause long term mental problems such as anxiety, confusion or even paranoia. THIS DRUG IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM HEART CONDITIONS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE OR EPILEPSY.
Ecstasy's real name is 3,4-MethyleneDioxyMethAmphetimine or MDMA for short. The name “Ecstasy” comes from the sense of well being that the drug induces and was popularised alongside the street name “E’s” by the press and television media. There are two other drugs which are closely related to MDMA and are sold as ecstasy. MetyleneDioxyAmphetimine or MDA (the parent drug) and MethyleneDioxyEthylAmphetimine or MDEA. In the illegal drug scene there is very little MDMA in use. MDEA and MDA are now the current drugs in use. MDMA is considered to be ‘true’ ecstasy by users and MDA is more hallucinogenic than MDMA and MDEA has more of a stimulant effect than MDMA.
MDMA was first produced in Germany (1912) by the Merck pharmaceutical company of Carmstadt. It was initially intended as an intermediate from which other chemicals could be developed. In 1939 the drug was used in research into adrenaline followed by it’s testing as a relief for Parkinson’s Disease which was later abandoned due to it’s side effects. Research into MDMA was shelved until the end of the second world war when it appeared in a Polish journal. After this it was tested alongside other chemicals by Edgewood Chemical Warfare Service in Maryland USA. Some of the chemicals like LSD leaked out to become drugs of misuse, but MDMA didn’t.
During the mid sixties MDMA was resynthasised by a drug researcher called Gordon Alles, shortly before Alexander Shulgin (a Califonian chemist). Shulgin began his research into hallucinogenic chemicals shortly after taking mescaline in 1960. He started work for the Dole Chemical Company where he synthesised MDMA in 1965. A year later he resigned to establish his own laboratory in an outbuilding at his home in Lafayette, California. From here he was to produce hundreds of mind altering drugs of which 179 were detailed in a book he wrote called ‘PIHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved). Shulgin was later to become known as ‘sasha’ the beloved figurehead of the eighties psychedelic generation . Shulgin introduced MDMA to a psychologist friend Leo Zoff who in turn introduced the drug amongst his fellow practitioners. It began to be used for marital therapy in America because it encouraged empathy and reduced hostility. MDMA eventually leaked out into the general drug scene and was banned in America in 1985.
Because it is impossible to tell exactly what drug is being bought until it’s effects become apparent there is a great deal of unscrupulous activities by dealers. Some will mix anything from an LSD /Amphetamine combination to ground up glass with ecstasy (This is called 'cutting'), others will sell any pill or tablet they can get hold of. As ecstasy will have been 'cut' several times before reaching the user most of this activity goes without notice by the users. When users get unexpected, little or no reaction from a pill they refer to it as a 'snidey'.
Dehydration and heatstroke are a common problem associated with ecstasy taken in raves and night clubs. Care must be taken to replace the water and minerals lost. Care must also be taken not to take too much water after taking ecstasy. This can lead to medical complications which have in the past caused deaths.
Another issue of concern regarding this drug is the sexual promiscuity associated with it. Because it is a social drug which reduces inhibitions there is a greater risk of unprotected sexual encounters. This in turn leads to a greater risk of HIV infection or unwanted pregnancies.
MethyleneDioxyMethAmphetamine (MDMA)
MethyleneDioxyAmphetamine (MDA)
MethyleneDioxyEthylAmphetimine MDEA)
'E', ecstasy, MDMA, There are many different brand names given to ecstasy. Adam, Adam and Eve, Dennis the menace, diamonds, disco burgers, doves, echoes, eddies, eve, fantasy, love doves, M and M’s, MDMA clear caps, new yorkers, phase 4, pills, power packs, power points, rhubarb and custard, shamrocks, snowballs, triple X’s, X, XTC, white burgers, white doves, white saucers.
Note:- ‘Adam’ refers to MDA and ‘Eve’ refers to MDEA.
Hallucinogens
Small square (Approx. 5mm square) of drug impregnated blotting paper with a design printed on it.
The sense of time, sound, vision and space becomes muddled, distorted and dream like. Sense of well being and spiritual insight is often expected as is the expectation that emotional ties between users will be intensified and strengthened.
Can cause extreme terror, panic or paranoia. Long term mental damage can also occur. Dizziness, drowsiness, a sense of no self-control, numbness, tingling, weakness, tremors and nausea are common. There is evidence that damage to white blood cells can be caused by LSD use.
Lysergic Acid comes from ergot (a mould found on Rhy grain). First discovered in Switzerland by Albert Hoffman (1938) who later became the first man to use LSD (1943). In the 1950’s and 1960’s it was used for Psychotherapy, treatment of Alcohol/drug addiction and to help patients who were terminally ill. The 1960’s also saw the first non-medical use by ‘hippy’ groups. In England LSD was placed under the Misuse of Drugs Act in 1966 and prescribing had almost stopped by 1968.
Many different names as each picture becomes a trading name in it’s own right. There are a few general names for this drug, some of which are listed below. Acid, blotters, dots, microdots, tabs.
On the afternoon of Monday 19th April 1943. Albert Hoffman a Swiss research chemist prepared 250 millionths of a gramme of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and diluted it in a glass of water. This he considered would be a small dose suitable for a controlled experiment upon himself.
At 4.40pm Albert consumed the contents of the glass.
By 5pm Albert realised his dosage estimation was WRONG!
He began to feel dizzy, his perception of everyday objects began to distort, suddenly everything changed shape or colour or even smelled different. Albert then got on his bicycle intending to peddle home. Instead he peddled into 12 hours of ABSOLUTE HELL!
When Albert returned to normality three things had been learned about LSD,
Wild mushrooms of various types. (Psilocybe Semilanceata ‘Liberty Cap’ is the most frequently used). The hallucinogenic effects come from the drugs Psilocybin and Pilocin which are contained in the mushrooms.
Euphoria, feeling of confidence, distorted vision and hearing, dreams.
Sickness, stomach pain, fear, panic, paranoia, serious poisoning or even death.
As with most Hallucinogenics ‘Flashbacks’ (return of effects some time after the initial effects have worn off - sometimes months later) can occur. There is also a serious risk of picking Amanita (very poisonous mushroom which looks similar) by mistake.
Psiloybe Semilanceata (Liberty Cap)
Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric) - very poisonous.
Magic mushrooms only become illegal when they have been prepared in some way such as drying, cooking, boiling (tea). It is then that they have a Class A legal status and are controlled under schedule 1 of the Medicines Act.
Magic Mush, Mushie’s, Shrooms,
Comes in three forms, a solid block (Hashish or Resin), a thick black oil or looking like mixed herbs (Marijuana).
relaxing feeling, more sociable, giggly, change of perceptions, release from inhibitions, release from emotional pain or depression, heightening of all the senses, increase in appetite.
Slowing of reaction times, inability to concentrate, memory loss, paranoia, depression. Can cause chest complaints such as bronchitis, lung cancer and other smoking related complaints. Long term use can lead to acute passivity and a total lack of motivation.
Cannabis comes from the plant ‘Cannabis Sativa’. It’s intoxicating chemical is called ‘Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol’ (THC). This drug is the most commonly used illicit drug and a great number of methods have been developed to take this drug. Most first time drug users choose to try cannabis and those that move on to stronger drugs usually continue to use cannabis. The inhibition reducing effect of this drug may increase the risk of other drugs being tried or even sexual activity which would otherwise not be entered into. Two little known facts about this drug is that it has a tar content 50 times greater than tobacco and cannabis contains over 450 different chemicals, most of which are known to be carcinogenic (Harmful to the body).
Marijuana use has been recorded as early as 3000 BC in Central Asia and China. In 1840’s doctors used cannabis to treat a number of medical complaints. It became used as a pleasure inducing drug in the early 1900’s and the non-medical use was prohibited in 1928. In the 1950’s cannabis was used in jazz clubs before it become popular during the Hippy movement of the 1960’s and 70’s. Cannabis is now the most widely used illegal drug in the UK. Recently there has been medical research into the use of THC for treating alcoholism, seizures, pain, the nausea created by anticancer treatments and glaucoma. There is also talk regarding the legalisation of cannabis in the UK as it has in other European countries.
Cannabis Oil
Cannabis Resin (Hashish)
Herbal Cannabis (Grass)
TetroHydroCannabinol (THC)
bhang, black, blow, dope, draw, ‘erb, ganja, grass, hash, hashish, herb, marijuana, Mary-Anna,Moroccan, pot, puff, resin, rocky, sensi, shit, skunk, skunk weed, sputnik, tea, wacky backy, weed, zero zero.
Veterinarian anaesthetic which is easy to produce. Often used as a substitute or adulterant for LSD.
reduces ability to feel pain and the user feels detached from those around him/her. Distortion of perception of time, euphoria
violent behaviour, schizophrenic behaviour (sometimes this becomes permanent), indifference to pain, bizarre thoughts. confusion, paranoia, anxiety, irritability, Distortion of sense of reality, depression,
death.
This drug is not used for any medical purpose on humans because of its harsh side effects. It was first introduced in the 1950’s for use by veterinarians as an anaesthetic. It soon became sold as a substitute and adulterant for LSD but it’s severe psychological effects were not popular among regular LSD users. During the 1970’s it became a popular teenagers drug and was sold using it’s own street names.
Angel dust, hog, rocket fuel.