In the 1960’s,
Timothy Leary was the father of the LSD movement. While working on his PhD at Harvard, Leary
gave psychedelic mushrooms to graduate students as part of his clinical
trials. Leary believed that psychedelics
would open up the mind of the user. Leary
left Harvard and began experimenting with LSD.
The residence at which Leary and his family lived at this time, known as
Millbrook, became a weekend getaway for anyone looking to trip. Leary claimed that LSD would be a great
mental cure for America. He believed
that by the 1970’s, America would go through a transformation and 20-30 million
people would take LSD on a daily basis in hopes for spiritual growth.
Could America be
transforming as Leary once hoped, with marijuana replacing LSD? In 2012, it was said that 4 million adult (18
and older) habitually smoke marijuana.
The number of habitual smokers is estimated to be closer to 14 million
people, ages 12 and up. There are many
reasons why people smoke marijuana; medical, recreational, and spiritual. These reasons, especially according to Leary,
are the same for why a person would take LSD.
Marijuana was made illegal in the 1940’s, while LSD wasn’t illegal until
1967. With this being said, LSD wasn’t
synthesized until 1938 in Basel, Switzerland.
Marijuana and LSD have many similarities. Both drugs are labeled as hallucinogenic and can
affect the mental state of the user. According
to enthusiasts of the drugs, they both have medical purposes. These medical effects of marijuana are the
very things that started the nation to come around to the legalizing of the
drug. Currently, 20 states have
legalized medical marijuana, 2 of which, Colorado and Washington, have
legalized marijuana for recreational use. Even the nation’s capitol, Washington D.C., is considering the
legalization of marijuana.
LSD, lysergic acid diethylamide, unlike
marijuana, is typically a drug that would be taken by someone looking for a
specific experience. Leary wanted the
nation to be able to enlighten them on a daily basis. LSD has many negative effects that go along
with habitual use. Most of these effects
are mental, however, and not a direct physical harm. What is known as an “Acid Flashback” is one
of the more discussed side effects. Also,
sever distressed, depression, terrifying thoughts and feelings,
and psychosis can come out of the use of LSD. Marijuana on the other hand, have very few
side effects which, when being compared to LSD, is much safer for habitual
use.
Leary
never saw psychedelic drugs become an accepted societal habit; however he did
witness a change in America. The 1960’s was
a different era than anything the USA has seen.
It opened many Americans eyes and allowed many of them to experience
drugs in a way that will never be done again.
Marijuana is doing the same for the 21st century. The nation is becoming more accepting of mind
altering substances, first with Alcohol coming back after prohibition, and now,
possibly, with the legalization of marijuana.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/2004/05/04/govt-habitual-pot-use-is-up-among-us-adults/
http://norml.org/marijuana
