What Is LSD Made From?

LSD is made by creating a fungus on seeds of rye or morning glory. A hallucinogenic drug, capable of changing the way people look at, think about, and experience the world around them.

The power of this drug makes it popular, as does its portability. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, LSD is one of the only hallucinogens available that can be sprayed on and soaked into pieces of paper. When people want a fast high, they can simply place this paper on the tongue and let the drug diffuse into the body.
Even though LSD is popular, it cannot be considered safe. That is due, in part, to the chemicals that go into the production of LSD. Any of them could be dangerous to the body, the brain, or both.

LSD Basics

LSD is considered, according to the Gale Group, to be a semisynthetic drug. That is because the drug’s primary ingredient — lysergic acid — is a naturally occurring compound found in rye seeds. Since this element is natural, and not something that is made in a laboratory, LSD is a drug that has at least some ties to the natural world.

But people who want to get the power of LSD cannot simply eat rye seeds and wait for them to work. The power of the seeds must be extracted through a chemical process. That process requires quite a bit of chemical power and chemistry expertise, and some of the ingredients involved in that production could be considered exceptionally dangerous.

The website How Stuff Works explains that LSD can be made by creating a fungus on seeds of rye or morning glory. That fungus must be cultured, and then it must move through a production that involves anhydrous hydrazine or chloroform. Both of these elements are considered carcinogens, and people working with them are often encouraged to wear skin, eye, and lung protection. But they are used in a drug people are expected to ingest. Clearly, that cannot be considered safe.
LSD in the Body
Once people take LSD, it crosses into the brain and triggers chemical reactions that can last for hours.Some people experience a form of flashback syndrome in which the experiences of the high recur when the person has not taken any LSD. Researchers are not quite sure why this syndrome happens to some people and not others, but it suggests that LSD stays active in the body for much longer than anyone expects. It might even be reasonable to suggest that it stays active forever, as it maintains the ability to trigger flashbacks for a nearly permanent period of time.

So even though LSD could be considered at least partially natural, it cannot be considered safe. And as a result, experts advise people who abuse the drug to stop doing so as quickly as they can. Treatment programs can help, as can support group work and family support. There are no medications that could be used to help people deal with LSD cravings, but there are other medications that could assist with common mental health concerns caused by LSD abuse, including depression, insomnia, and anxiety. A qualified treatment team can utilize these and other solutions to assist with recovery.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction and are unsure of where to turn, call us today at . Desert Hope, American Addiction Centers’ drug rehab Las Vegas, is ready to help you get the treatment you need today.