Re-Creational Uses 12
By 1970, recreational use of LSD had begun to decline somwewhat for reasons perhaps as conplex as why its use had exploded just before. Writing in the Spring 1979 issue of The Journal of Drug Issues, Richard Bunce related the data developed on this in relevant surveys going into the mid-1970s. One of his findings was that those people who were introduced to LSD over this period mostly were in the 14- to 17-year-old range, with use of the drug then staying fairly steady in the 16- to 26-year-old grouping (about 10 percent). Bunce's major interest was to account for a steady decline in the incidence of bad trips over the interval, arguing that this might best be thought of in terms of a shift in social consciousness away from issues associated with psychedelics.
Bad trips and bummers -- argot that hardly reflects the nature of what can occur -- had by now been experienced by many, no doubt causing serious pause. Some concluded that they never wanted to experiment like that again, whereas others considered these occurrences a real puzzle. Those proclaiming the psychedelic revolution spoke of LSD as a sacrament; some even as a panacea. Need for LSD lifelines and LSD rescue services, which had arisen by then, showed these proclaimed panacean images to be somewhat false.
Many of the bad trips experienced may well have been fostered by images from the media. The effects of LSD are mental and are thus difficult to image graphically. Illustrations at this time generally tended to be divided between ecstatic reflections and horrific interpretations. Added to the initiate's mental set were frequent warnings from psychotherapeutic professionals. There were arguments that this was perhaps part of a campaign to limit future experimentation and once again place LSD under the control of these professionals.
These factors greatly affected users' expectations, but by 1970 it had also become clear that the quality of street acid had become highly questionable. LSD's precursor, ergotamine, had by then been fairly effectively cut off to potential manufacturers, and one would have to take several tabs of blotter LSD then appearing to even get a buzz. With little regard for what these products could do to the mind, rip-off artists had by now come on the scene who apparently were not all that concerned about whether or not what they were selling was the pure molecule.
Beyond this, introduction of DOM (2,5-dimethoxy-4-methyl- amphetamine) in the late 1960s on a rather massive scale significantly prodded this psychedelic withdrawal. The manufacturers of this product -- known by its street name STP -- later came to think that they probably had overestimated the proper dose and should not have distributed it at all. Subsequent popular feelings by a large number of regular LSD users was that the psychedelic effects of this drug were too much to handle.
The pitch made by Leary and his associates -- emphasizing the need to "go out of your mind" -- appealed to many among the adventurous young, to those with a certain amount of free time, and to some trying to find themselves. But the consequences for the bulk of the population was to close them off to the issues and applications raised by more moderate advocates. Nearly all the positive potentials of LSD tended to be dismissed, with the whole matter seen simply as outrageous or merely as the latest fad among rebellious youths.
From the notion of its being a psychosis-producer, LSD had by the mid-1960s come to be seen as something of a significant mental tool that was rather useful. But by the end of that decade, it had come to be viewed -- by many adults in particular -- as just a means for seeking mindless ecstasy.
