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Benefits of Legalization: A General Analysis of Psychedelics

Psychedelics, despite strict laws and illegalization, are quickly becoming one of the most

researched drugs, due to the question which was first presented in the 1960s - Can psychedelics

be used as a pharmaceutical treatment? In effect of this theory becoming more popular in recent

times, studies have shown that psychedelics can serve as a therapy for mental health patients.

Psychedelics have been wrongly banned and should be legalized because they are one of the

most powerful tools that can be used in the fight against addictions and mental health issues.

Psychedelics are a type of drug that causes visual and auditory distortions and intensifies

one’s consciousness. A quick summary of psychedelics is provided in the article “What are

Psychedelics” by The Psychedelic Society: “Psychedelics (from the Greek psyche: mind, delos:

make visible, reveal) are substances that induce a heightened state of consciousness characterised

by a hyperconnected brain state” (par. 1). Psychedelics are among one of the safest drugs, twelve

times safer than alcohol and four times safer than tobacco, according to a 2010 study published

in the top medical journal ​The Lancet.​ However, these drugs were classified as a Schedule 1

substance in 1967 - making them illegal for any type of possession, consumption, or even

medical study within the United States. This put an end to much anticipated research on the

therapeutic benefits of hallucinogenic drugs, until a recent psychedelic revolution began in the

late 1990s and early 2000s, in which numerous studies and experiments have been conducted,

attempting to find therapeutic uses for psychedelics. However, the fact that these drugs were

banned by the government has slowed much needed research to prove how medically beneficial

psychedelics can be.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
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​ he government’s decision to illegalize psychedelic

The Beginnings of Project MKULTRA. T

drugs like LSD in the 1960s was an unjust and wrong ruling, which was not persuaded by

negative experiences reported from the public, but was rather due to the CIA and the agency’s

project, MKULTRA. In the 1950s and 1960s, during the Cold War, the United States received

reports that Soviet, Chinese, and North Korean agents were using mind control to brainwash U.S.

prisoners of war. In response, the CIA approved Project MKULTRA in 1953, which was meant

to find techniques that could be used for mind control against Soviet enemies. MKULTRA was

born out of Project ARTICHOKE, which was another one of the CIA’s mind control and

brain-training experimentation programs. This program was attempting to find a way to become

more advanced in the fields of mind control, interrogation methods, and behavior modification.

Furthermore, “MK-Ultra was a top-secret CIA project in which the agency conducted hundreds

of clandestine experiments - sometimes on unwitting U.S. citizens - to assess the potential use of

LSD and other drugs for mind control, information gathering and psychological torture”

(MK-Ultra par. 1). The project lasted more than a decade, and wasn’t made public until 1975,

during a congressional investigation into illegal CIA activities within the United States and

around the world. The intent of the project was to study and observe “the use of biological and

chemical materials in altering human behavior,” according to the official testimony of CIA

director Stansfield Turner in 1977. However, this project was poorly executed, with the CIA

conducting numerous illegal experiments on unwilling citizens, and as a result ruining the

public’s view of psychedelics and ultimately creating a false stereotype of such drugs. Project

MKULTRA was conducted in three phases, as stated by Turner’s testimony, “The research and

development of materials to be used for altering human behavior consisted of three phases: first,
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the search for materials suitable for study; second, laboratory testing on voluntary human

subjects in various types of institutions; third, the application of MKULTRA materials in normal

life settings” (sec. 390 10). These three phases formed MKULTRA, the project that

compromised the safety and rights of unknowing citizens.

​ he CIA began experiments with LSD under the orders of

Project MKULTRA: Phase One. T

Sidney Gottlieb, a chemist and poison expert within the agency. He believed they could harness

the drug’s properties for brainwashing or psychological torture. The CIA started to fund studies

at Columbia University, Stanford University, and other colleges to find the effects of the drug.

The CIA expanded these studies to other institutions and hospitals in order to find the best tools

and situations that would be a consistent basis for studies and experiments. As stated by Turner

in his testimony, “The search for suitable materials was conducted through standing

arrangements with specialists in universities, pharmaceutical houses, hospitals, state and federal

institutions, and private research organizations” (sec. 390, par. 11). Many of these colleges and

institutions were not aware that it was the CIA funding these studies, as the CIA often posed as

research organizations. These studies were simple and only aimed to find the tools that should be

present when conducting more in-depth experiments.

Project MKULTRA: Phase Two. ​The interest in LSD’s effects and the possibility that the drug

could be used for mind-control remained prominent. The CIA began conducting more

experiments that included administering LSD to mental patients, prisoners, drug addicts, and

prostitutes, people who were easy targets. Prisons and hospitals were common places for studies

to be conducted in phase two of MKULTRA.

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The purpose of the second phase was to test patients with laboratory equipment, and is

best described by Turner in his testimony to Congress, who says, “The next phase of the

MKULTRA program involved physicians, toxicologists, and other specialists in mental,

narcotics, and general hospitals, and in prisons. Utilizing the products and findings of the basic

research phase, they conducted intensive tests on human subjects” (sec. 391, par. 2). At this

point, Project MKULTRA was gathering prisoners as test subjects and administering

hallucinogenic drugs. As a reward for participation in the program, the drug addicts were bribed

with the drug of their addiction. Many of the studies were conducted at the NIMH Addiction

Research Center in Lexington, Kentucky. It was known as the Lexington Rehabilitation Center,

and was a prison for drug addicts serving sentences for drug violations. One prisoner, Whitey

Bulger, was given LSD every day for more than a year, after volunteering for what he was told

was an experiment aimed at finding a cure for schizophrenia. He later realized he was not being

tested to find a cure for schizophrenia, but was a test subject in a government experiment aimed

to find what people’s long-term reactions to LSD were. Furthermore, the CIA also conducted

experiments within their own agency, as well as on military personnel and doctors. It became a

common occurrence for one CIA agent to secretly administer a dose of LSD to another agent,

and record the reactions they had. Jon Rappoport’s article “CIA Experiments With Mind Control

on Children” describes the purpose of this tactic, stating, “The program's aim was to find drugs

which would irresistibly bring out deep confessions or wipe a subject's mind clean and program

him or her as a ‘robot agent’” (par. 2). The second phase of Project MKULTRA revealed the

consistency of reactions to LSD and provided a basis for transition into the third and final phase.
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Project MKULTRA: Phase Three. ​The third phase of MKULTRA included testing and

administration of LSD to non-volunteer subjects to find the reaction to such drugs in a normal

life setting. These test subjects were given LSD and were interrogated regarding military secrets.

These people were originally CIA employees, U.S. military personnel, and agents suspected of

working for the enemy in the Cold War. Long-term severe debilitation and several documented

deaths resulted. These tests on the suspects of the CIA expanded into the public with the creation

of Operation Midnight Climax.

​ peration Midnight Climax was an MK-Ultra project in which

Operation Midnight Climax. O

government employed prostitutes lured unsuspecting men to “safe houses” created by the CIA

that were disguised as brothels. The CIA paid prostitutes to dose the men they brought in with

LSD, so their reactions could be recorded and information could be extracted. Furthermore, the

CIA was particularly interested in the concept of how sex could be used as a means to make a

man talk, but found that the lured men were only focused on hormonal needs, not of their career

and other matters. Operation Midnight Climax grew larger, with CIA operatives beginning to

dose people with acid in restaurants, bars and beaches, all to study the reactions one might have

in an everyday situation. These techniques used to administer LSD for research were illegal in

every way. The final report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Activities concludes:

The research and development program, and particularly the covert testing programs,

resulted in massive abridgements of the rights of American citizens, sometimes with

tragic consequences. The deaths of two Americans can be attributed to these programs;

other participants in the testing programs may still suffer from the residual effects. While

some controlled testing of these substances might be defended, the nature of the tests,
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their scale and the fact that they were continued for years after the danger of surreptitious

administration of LSD to unwitting individuals was known, demonstrate a fundamental

disregard for the value of human life. (pg. 386)

The CIA’s attempts to achieve a means of mind-control through the use of LSD was a lost cause,

with the CIA concluding that LSD was too unpredictable to be used for any sort of mind-control.

MKULTRA was merely an illegal project that ruined the public’s view of psychedelics, making

such drugs illegal, and in effect halting research for the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics for

the last fifty years. Psychedelics were not meant to be used in this manner, and the public did not

call for a ban of these drugs, yet the CIA ignored society and the possible benefits of

psychedelics.

BENEFITS OF PSYCHEDELICS

The Psychedelic Revolution and Increase in Research. ​Psychedelics, despite the negative stigma,

have proven to be largely beneficial for therapeutic uses when administered in an appropriate

setting. The new psychedelic revolution has begun, and with this new age comes more research,

studies, and experiments that aim to prove that psychedelics can be used to help treatment,

addictions, and psychological disorders. John Hopkins Medicine describes the new age of

psychedelic research in their press release “Hopkins Scientists Show Hallucinogen in

Mushrooms Creates Universal “Mystical” Experience,” asserting, “...the research marks a new

systematic approach to studying certain hallucinogenic compounds that, in the 1950s, showed

signs of therapeutic potential or value in research into the nature of consciousness and sensory

perception.” (par. 5). Finally researchers, scientists, therapists, and doctors are coming together
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to attempt to fully understand the mystery of psychedelics and how they may be used to help

with addictions, disorders, and consciousness.

Results from the Research and Studies of LSD. ​In “Long-Lasting Subjective Effects of LSD in

Normal Subjects,” Yasmin Schmid and Matthias E. Liechti provide information from studies in

which LSD is administered to subjects, and their responses to questions regarding their

experiences are recorded. An interesting rating is provided in Schmid and Liecti’s piece, which

states, “Ratings of positive attitudes about life and/or self, positive mood changes,

altruistic/positive social effects, and positive behavioral changes significantly increased at the 1-

and 12-month follow-ups compared with the assumption of no change” (Schmid and Liechti

539). This extensive study also found that 12 months after the subjects experiences, “...10 of 14

participants rated the LSD experience among the top 10 most meaningful experiences in their

lives” (Schmid and Liechti 539). Additionally, this study found that “...LSD was not associated

with lasting negative effects, as no lasting increases of negative attitudes, negative mood, and

negative behavior could be observed after one and 12 months” (Schmid and Liechti 541).

Psychedelics are a unique type of drug that alters one’s personality and state of consciousness,

ultimately influencing one’s appreciation of the arts, nature, and life. Once again, Schmid and

Liechti’s findings provide an insight to this concept, confirming, “A higher proportion of

participants reported lasting effects on personality and greater appreciation of music and art 6

months after LSD administration..” (Schmid and Liechti 541). Furthermore, these seemingly

desirable effects seem to yield little to no danger in the long-term effects of one’s personality and

consciousness. In Schmid and Liechti’s analysis, they conclude, “Overall, the present study

found no lasting effects of LSD on various personality trait measures 1 or 12 months after LSD
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administration” (Schmid and Liechti 542). Psychedelics, if administered correctly, can yield

great short and long-term benefits for one’s mental health, overall well-being, and personality.

​ etamine is another psychedelic that is considered to be a

The Use of Ketamine for Depression: K

dissociative anesthetic - it lowers sensitivity to pain while creating a sense of disconnection

between body and mind. Ketamine is the only legally available psychedelic, used as a powerful

anesthetic and originally used in emergency operation rooms and on battlefields. Ketamine is

included on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines, whereas other

psychedelics have ruled out as potential treatments. Gianluca et al. report the results of

ketamine-based studies in their article “The Role of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant

Depression: A Systematic Review,” stating, “Ketamine has been demonstrated to be rapidly

effective and was associated with a significant clinical improvement in depressive symptoms

within hours after administration. Also, ketamine was also found to be effective in reducing

suicidality in (treatment-resistant depression) samples.” Ketamine is being used as a treatment,

while other psychedelics are not given the chance to be researched and used for therapeutic

treatment. Psychedelics have already shown promise to be beneficial for medical uses, and

should be legalized so more research can be conducted regarding the benefits of these drugs.

OPPOSITION

The Unpredictability of Psychedelics. ​Even though the psychedelic community may support the

use of psychedelic drugs, society might argue that there are still dangerous aspects of taking a

drug, especially a psychedelic drug that causes unique and overpowering effects. The

unpredictability of psychedelics is best described by ​Drug Free World i​ n their article “What Are

the Risks of LSD?,” stating, “They depend on the amount taken, the person’s mood and
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personality, and the surroundings in which the drug is used. It is a roll of the dice—a racing,

distorted high or a severe, paranoid low” (par. 1). Psychedelics also alter one’s perception of

reality, as described in the interview “Beyond Psychotic Experience,” in which Stanislov Grof, a

renowned ​psychiatrist known for his early studies of LSD and its effects. In this interview, Grof

describes the danger surrounding LSD when taken:

...there is a tremendous danger of confusing the inner world with the outer world, so

you’ll be dealing with your inner realities but at the same time you are not even aware of

what’s happening, You perceive a sort of distortion of the world out there. So you can

end up in a situation where you’re weakening the resistances, your conscious is becoming

more aware, but you’re not really in touch with it properly, you’re not really fully

experiencing what’s there, not seeing it for what it is. You get kind of deluded and caught

into this. (par. 12)

The Risk of Imposter Drugs. ​One of the biggest dangers of taking psychedelics in a non-medical

setting is the possibility of taking imposter drugs. Imposter drugs are best explained by Wesley

Thoricatha in his article “What are the Dangers of Psychedelics? Things to Consider Before a

Psychedelic Experience.” Thoricatha presents the dangers of psychedelics, arguing that imposter

drugs are one of the biggest dangers of taking psychedelics. He describes imposter drugs as

“...being told something is a certain substance such as “Molly,” “Ecstasy” or “Acid” when in fact

it’s something entirely different” (par. 2). Thoricatha continues to explain the problem of

imposter drugs throughout his article:

(Imposter drugs) is an increasingly prevalent issue, as unscrupulous street dealers have

been known to try to follow trends by marketing their product under a popular name
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while mixing in cheaper chemicals that offer a better “bang for their buck” compared to

psychedelics in their pure form. Non-psychedelic substances that are cut into or sold as

psychedelics include heroin, methamphetamines, and even bath salts. This disturbing

trend illustrates the deadly consequences that the paradigm of prohibition poses and

highlights the vital importance of harm reduction practices. (par. 2)

​ supervisor or trip sitter - the term used by recreational drug

The Importance of a Trip Sitter. A

users to describe someone who remains sober to ensure the safety of the drug user while they are

under the influence of a drug - is necessary to ensure the safety of the psychedelic experience.

The imperativeness of a trip sitter is illustrated in “Taking Psychedelics Seriously” by Ira Byock,

who states:

Short-term psychological effects are profound. If used in unsupervised fashion by

unselected and unprepared people, these drugs can be highly dangerous and, in extreme

cases, cause death. The sensory effects described above interfere with hand-eye

coordination and fine motor function, making operating a vehicle or machinery or even

walking in public potentially dangerous. These effects are sufficient to emphasize that

professionals who are skilled in managing adverse effects must be present.” (par. 18)

A trip sitter is not essential but can provide a sense of comfort for the drug user, as they do not

have to worry about dealing with certain responsibilities and situations that may be presented

during their experience.

OPPOSITION RESPONSE
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​ sychedelics are one of the safest drugs, being physiologically safe

The Safety of Psychedelics. P

and non-addictive. Matthew Johnson et al in their report “Human Hallucinogen Research:

Guidelines for Safety” state, “Hallucinogens generally possess relatively low physiological

toxicity, and have not been shown to result in organ damage or neuropsychological deficits” (par.

15). As more research on psychedelics is conducted, the safety of these drugs is observed and

compared to other drugs. In David Nutt’s article titled “Drug harms in the UK: a multicriteria

decision analysis,” he rates the top twenty drugs in terms of harm to the user and harm to others,

in which LSD and Magic Mushrooms are within the top three least harmful drugs (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Drugs and their Overall Harm Scores from Nutt, David J, et al. “Drug Harms in

the UK: a Multicriteria Decision Analysis.” The Lancet, vol. 376, no. 9752, 2010, pp.

1558–1565.

As shown, psychedelics prove to be some of the least harmful drugs, while being the most

promising in new research.

CONCLUSION
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Psychedelics were wrongfully banned due to the USA’s own government, not from negative

reports from the public, causing a halt in research for these drugs. Yet 2020 is not 1967. The

psychedelic renaissance has begun. New research has shown that psychedelics are some of the

most promising drugs that can be used against addictions and mental health issues. Society

should embrace this opportunity to study a drug that was not allowed to be studied for decades.

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Byock, Ira. “Taking Psychedelics Seriously.” ​Journal of Palliative Medicine​, vol. 21, no. 4, 2018,

pp. 417–421., doi:10.1089/jpm.2017.0684.

History.com Editors. “MK-Ultra.” ​History.com,​ A&E Television Networks, 16 June 2017,

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Schmid, Yasmin, and Matthias E. Liechti. “Long-Lasting Subjective Effects of LSD in Normal

Subjects.” ​Psychopharmacology​, vol. 235, no. 2, 2017, pp. 535–545.,

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Serafini, Gianluca, et al. “The Role of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A

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