Drugs and Our Society

Drugs and Our Society Hallucinogens Part 10

Hallucinogens • They are among the oldest known group of drugs used for their ability to alter human perception and mood - they are mood altering drugs • Naturally occurring hallucinogens have been found in plants and fungi for centuries - many used in shamanistic religious practices - in recent years, a number of synthetic have been produced - some much more potent than the naturally occurring

Hallucinogens, cont • The biochemical / the pharmacological / and the physiological basis for hallucinogen activity is not well understood - even the name for the class of drugs is not ideal - since hallucinogens do not always produce hallucinations - in non-toxic doses, these substances do produce changes in perception / thoughts / and mood 4. Physiological effects:

Hallucinogens, cont - include elevated heart rate / increased blood pressure / dilated pupils • Sensory effects: - include perceptional distortions that vary with dose, setting, and mood • Psychic effects: - include disorder of thought associate with time and space - time may appear to stand still - where forms and colors seem to change - or they take on a new significance

Hallucinogens, cont • These experiences can be either pleasurable or extremely frightening - effects of hallucinogens are unpredictable each time they are used • Weeks and months after some hallucinogens have been taken - the user may experience ‘flashbacks’ - fragmentary recurrences of certain aspects of the drug taking experience without taking the drug again 9. Flashbacks are unpredictable

Hallucinogens, cont - more likely to occur during times of stress - occur more frequently in younger people - with older more experienced users the episodes diminish and become less intense • The 1960s were the time of ‘psychedelic’ drug use - LSD / peyote / PCP were considered drugs of the educated user - hallucinogens continued to increase in use throughout the 70’s

Hallucinogens, cont • Prominent people of the time espoused the use of hallucinogens - music of the 60’s also talked of hallucinogen use and called it ‘psychedelic rock’ - rock stars / movie stars used the drug to expand their minds - they said it brought out the brilliance of their music or their acting - some highly educated people began using hallucinogens (such as Timothy Leary and LSD)

Hallucinogens, cont • The 1990s has shown a resurgence in the use of hallucinogens and this is cause for concern - by 2000, 1 out of every 6 college students (14.8%) reported some use of hallucinogens during their lifetime - hallucinogenic mushrooms / LSD / MDMA are also popular among junior and senior high school students who use hallucinogens • Dangers are involved in hallucinogen use - it has shown neuronal damage in animals - and they are neurotoxic to humans

Hallucinogens, cont - neurotoxic means poisonous to nerves and nerve tissue • Neuronal damage from hallucinogens impacts the serotonergic neurons and can result in: - becoming neurotic / sleep /mood / anxiety disturbances / memory deficits / attention problems elevated impulsiveness - and they can last for up to 2 years after use - but the most common danger is impaired judgment leading to accidents and injuries

Hallucinogens, cont • From the beginning of time we have sought ways to alter our consciousness - through trial and error, we identified certain plants that have mind-altering properties - we have over 6,000 different types of plants that are capable of altering consciousness - today, we have 150 plants that are used for hallucinogenic purposes • Scientific interest increased after WWII - Germany did research with mind-altering drugs on its own soldiers and war prisoners

Hallucinogens, cont • Today, the availability of mind-altering drugs is vast - we have government projects on-going that are used in espionage and law enforcement - there are hints that they being used under Homeland Security to protect from terrorism • Terminology can also be confusing - hallucinogen refers to drugs that have the potential to produce hallucinations - chemicals that alter thoughts / feelings / perceptions

Hallucinogens, cont - and perceptions - many result in hallucinations only when taken in large quantities • Origin of hallucinogens - almost all are derived from plants - with 2 exceptions: LSD and MDMA - both are produced synthetically • These drugs are consumed for their psychic effects, not physical effects - people took them to escape everyday life - or to commune with a higher order

Hallucinogens, cont - psychic powers / sacred powers / medicinal powers were attributed to these drugs - they change awareness of reality - they alter perceptions of time - perceptions of spirituality - perceptions of the universe • It helped people transcend boundaries of time and space - human research took place before the 1960s - psychiatric hospitals / government agencies / and private clinics

D-lysergic acid diethylamide • The most potent hallucinogenic substance known to man - cocaine and heroin measured in milligrams (thousandths of a gram) - doses of LSD are measured in micrograms (millionths of a gram) - microgram = 1 millionth of a gram • LSD is 100 times more potent than psilocybin and psilocin - it is 400 times more potent than mescaline

LSD, cont • To produce a hallucinogenic effect in humans - a dose of 25 micrograms is generally required - today, the DEA considers 50 micrograms the standard - anywhere from 20 to 80 micrograms is used • LSD is a Schedule I drug, meeting the three criteria necessary - high potential for abuse - no currently accepted medical use - lacks accepted safety for use in treatment

LSD, cont • It was developed in 1938 at the Sandoz Lab in Switzerland - it was synthesized from an ergot on fungus that grows on rye - ergot is a disease of cereal crops • It sold as a new drug to stimulate circulation and respiration, and to stop bleeding in the uterine muscle - no benefits were identified and after 5 years it was put on the shelf • In 1943, Albert Hoffman accidentally ingested the drug - a few days later, he took .25 mgs in water - a new interest in treatment for schizophrenia arose

LSD, cont - days later, Hoffman took .25 mgs of LSD in water - there became a new interest in the treatment for schizophrenia - it has a structural relationship to a chemical that is present in the brain • In 1949, it reached the United States and was used to treat psychosis - LSD is water soluble / odorless / colorless / and tasteless - in the late 1960s, Congress prohibited both its use and sale

LSD, cont • It produces profound effects on perception and mood - tolerance develops quickly - cannot experience the effects of LSD if taken within the past 3 or 4 days - a cross-tolerance can also occur with LSD and other hallucinogens • It is consumed orally and absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract - it is metabolized by the liver and quickly excreted

LSD, cont - 1960s: it came in the form or cube or tablet - today: microdots or diluted drops - it is placed on blotter paper where it can be licked or sucked (blotter acid) - it is also found in candies, such as Sweet Tarts - also transported in food coloring bottles

LSD Effects • Effects begin within the hour (anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes after ingestion) - behavioral effects last 6 to 8 hours - LSD has a half-life of only 3 hours, so the effects last longer than the drug is active - it is detectable in urine 72 hours after ingestion - no fatal overdoses are documented, but people have died due to their behavior on LSD - not from pharmacological effects

LSD Effects, cont • It operates on the neurotransmitter serotonin - serotonin plays a role in sensory perception and mood - synesthesia occurs, which is a blending of the senses - a person hears or tastes colors - a person can see sounds • Depersonalization and disorientation are other effects - a user may conjure up repressed memories - body image may be distorted

LSD Effects, cont - feelings of becoming one with the floor - or whatever one is sitting on or lying on - person may have a psychotic reaction that lasts weeks or months - others may have a mystical or religious experience or encounter • The LSD trip has 3 distinct phases - the 1st phase lasts 1 to 2 hours and can include euphoria and crying or laughing - the 2nd phase lasts 2 to 3 hours and has

LSD Effects, cont visual illusions where hallucinations appear - the 3rd phase lasts 3 to 4 hours and has a distortion of time / ego disintegration / mood swings / and occasionally panic and depression • Flashbacks - another phenomenon associated with LSD - a person re-experiences effects days, weeks and even months after last using LSD - no consensus on how often they occur - one report: 15% of users experience

Flashbacks, cont - for others, flashbacks are unlikely • Cause has not been determined conclusively - may be precipitated by stress or fatigue - another study said it may occur in persons who use antidepressant drugs - flashbacks tend to be brief - but frequency and duration of flashbacks are unpredictable

Peyote • A hallucinogen Aztecs used for religious rituals - comes from the Lophophora williamsil cactus (low-pho-phora) • It is a small, spineless cactus that is found in Mexico and southwestern United States - it measures about 3 inches in diameter - Mescaline is the psychoactive agent and was named after the Mescalero Apaches - users dry the crown of the cactus, suck it and swallow - or they can mix it with water and chew it

Peyote, cont • The chemical sensation (norepinephrine) causes excitation and increased motor activity - dried cactus is known as a “mescal button” - they have a foul odor / rancorous taste / and are difficult to ingest • Users initially experience nausea / vomiting / and diarrhea - this often deters further use - small doses produce euphoria - larger doses generate hallucinations which involve intense colors / taste / and feelings

Peyote, cont • Compared to LSD, peyote is less intense but more manageable - peyote intoxication consists of 2 phases - contentment and sensitivity - first is a great calm - then a muscular sluggishness - there is a shift from external stimuli to an introspection and meditation • Medical use

Peyote, cont - treats patients with angina pectoris (chest pains) - respiratory stimulant for pneumonia patients - researchers also see promising results for alcoholism • Peyote takes effect within 30 to 90 minutes - stays in the body for about 10 hours - hallucinations last only 2 hours - eliminated from the body primarily in urine • Physiological effects

Peyote, cont - dilated pupils / rise in body temperature / increase in blood pressure and heart rate - death from use have not been documented - but a person could die from behaviors while on the drug • Mescaline is similar to LSD - tolerance forms quickly - physical dependence does not occur - but there is a cross-tolerance between LSD and mescaline

Peyote, cont • Synthetic mescaline is produced - it is made into liquid form / capsules / tablet - it is more palatable than the natural form - synthesizing mescaline is difficult - that sold on the street is frequently another drug, such as LSD • In the early 1800s, Apache’s / Kiowa / and Comanche's chewed the mescal buttons - incorporated them into religious rituals • Native American Church

Peyote, cont - until 1990, peyote use is legal in the US for spiritual reasons - it was considered a sacrament - recreational and social use was not allowed • US Supreme Court ruled 6 to 3 - individual states could forbid peyote use for religious purposes - protection of religious freedom under the First Amendment no longer extended to sacramental use of peyote

Peyote, cont - Justice Antonin Scalia (1990): “We have never held that an individual’s religious beliefs excuse him from compliance with an otherwise valid law prohibiting conduct that the State is free to regulate.” - 28 states still allow the use of peyote in Native American rituals - but vary in how it is regulated - since 1994, Native American tribes are trying to control use of non-members

Psilocybin • This is a drug making a resurgence in the US - called “magic mushrooms” or “shrooms” • Aztecs called psilocybin ‘teonanacatl’ - which means “God’s Flesh” - it was spiritually significant to the Aztecs - Spaniards stopped the use after controlling the natives • Several species contain psilocybin - they grow in parts of the US / Mexico / and Europe

Psilocybin, cont - in 1958, Albert Hoffman isolated the psychoactive ingredient - early 1960s, use began to increase primarily among college students - use waned after awhile when LSD became more prominent • It is chemically similar to LSD - but the effects last a shorter time and are not as intense - it can be consumed orally

Psilocybin, cont - in the form of dried mushrooms - drinking a beverage containing the plant - ground up and added to foods - but can also be found in tablet form • After ingestion, stomach enzymes converts it to psilocin - a more potent psychedelic than mescaline - but it is less toxic - and like peyote, it has an unpleasant taste • As with LSD and peyote, no fatal overdoses

Psilocybin, cont - at least no fatal overdoses are recorded - a person can die from ingesting other types of mushrooms - it is easy to mistake a poisonous one from psilocybin • In small doses, (4 mgs) it brings feelings of euphoria and relaxation - higher doses distort perception of both time and space - user is distracted more easily and is open to suggestions

Psilocybin, cont - it interferes with the ability to concentrate - hallucinations are produced, both visual and auditory • Physiological effects: - similar to other psychoactive drugs - dilates the pupils / raises body temperature / pulse rate / blood pressure - involuntary movement of arms and legs, and muscle relaxation may follow use • Psychological effects: - produces an array of emotional responses

Psilocybin, cont - ranges from uncontrolled laughter to depression - experience hallucinations within 30 minutes - last from 3 to 8 hours • There is no current medical use - researching its impact on schizophrenia - psilocybin may reduce the effects of alcohol when they are taken at the same time

Anticholinergic Hallucinogens • These drugs belong to the same family as the potato - they have a long history involving sorcery and witchcraft - they have been used as medicines / poisons / and beauty aids - besides producing hallucinations - they are highly toxic in large doses • In the 1970s, they were found in many over-the-counter drugs - Sominex / Contac / Travel-eze / Endotussin

Anticholinergic, cont - since the 1980s, anticholinergic drugs have been removed from OTC medications • Belladonna - “beautiful lady” in Italian - also known as “deadly nightshade” - bluish black soft berry containing ‘atropine’ - it gives a person the feeling of flying - used in witches brews / satanic rituals - associated with witches and broomsticks - irregular heartbeat and drowsiness follow

Anticholinergic, cont - it has potent hallucinogenic properties - symptoms appear in 30 to 60 minutes but it can be extremely toxic - a dozen berries can be fatal (1/10th of gram) - the root is most poisonous • Locoweed / Jimsonweed (Datura) - used by North and Central American Indians - cause disorientation / delirium / and visual hallucinations - symptoms appear within 30 to 60 minutes

Anticholinergic, cont - after ingesting or smoking - effects may last up between 24 to 48 hours - toxic effects can be severe, leading to coma or even death • Nutmeg / Mace - come from the Myristica tree - chemically similar to mescaline - can induce visual / auditory hallucinations if consumed in large quantities - nutmeg is from the seeds of the tree

Anticholinergic, cont - mace is from the fruit of the tree - usually chewed or snuffed with tobacco - 1 or 21 teaspoons consumed - takes effect in 2 to 5 hours - not taken because of unpleasant effects - nausea / headaches / vomiting / sensory distortion - followed by extremely noxious hangover

Anticholinergic, cont • Phencyclidine (PCP) - it is sometimes classified as a hallucinogen - is capable of producing hallucinations - differs from those produced by LSD - developed in the 1950s / used as a surgical anesthetic - still used as a veterinary anesthetic outside of the United States - production became illegal here in 1978, but it is still used in other countries

Phencyclidine, cont • Classification is complicated - can generate anesthetic / hallucinogenic / stimulating / or depressing effects - depending on the dosage and method of administration - it has been described as a “dissociative anesthetic” - meaning the person feels separated from reality • Early use: - angel dust / dust / rocket fuel / trank / crystal

Phencyclidine, cont - distributed on the West Coast in early 1960s - in San Francisco it was popular, but resulted in bizarre and violent behavior - as an anesthetic, patients remain awake and unable to recall the surgery experience - no adverse effects to circulation / heart rate / or respiration - discontinued in 1965 because of undesirable effects - agitation / delirium / disorientation

Phencyclidine, cont - when the effects wear off, the user becomes unmanageable / confused / disassociated with surroundings • Street use: - distributed in tablet or capsule form - also injected / snorted / smoked - mixed with tobacco or marijuana - absorption is rapid / effects are experienced quickly - last from a few minutes to an hour

Phencyclidine, cont - acute effects last 4 to 6 hours - result in agitation / delirium / disorientation - confusion can last from 8 to 24 hours - no tolerance or physical dependence results - no physical withdrawal symptoms • Illegal use - alternate to LSD because of low cost - mixed with marijuana (killed joint / sherm) - use has declined - but it is still popular in San Francisco

Phencyclidine, cont • Street reputation - making users violent / incredibly strong - police / hospital workers wary of users - average size people breaking handcuffs - simultaneously wrestling several officers - being shot several times / continue to fight • Effects: - small dose: relaxation / warmth / euphoria / numbness / interferes with concentration / distorts body image / depersonalization

Phencyclidine, cont - increased usage: confusion / nystagmus / poor concentration / agitation / impaired reaction time - high doses: mood swings / blank staring / repetitive actions / muscular rigidity / can produce psychotic effects similar to schizophrenia / paranoia / physical aggression / inability to eat or sleep

Drugs and Our Society