Edited by RICHARD C.DEBOL DEROLDD and RUSSELL C. LEAE The facts about LSD— Its pharmacological characteristics and effects, its impact on the individual and on society— soberly stated and analyzed by nine authoritative scientists. LSD, MAN SOCIETY Frank Barron THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Motivational Patterns in LSD Usage Albert A. Kurland, M.D. SPRING GROVE STATE HOSPITAL, BALTIMORE The Therapeutic Potential of LSD in Medicine Donald B. Louria, M.D. BELLEVUE HOSPITAL, NEW YORK CITY The Abuse of LSD Walter N. Pahnke, M.D. THE MASSACHUSETTS MENTAL HEALTH CENTER LSD and Religious Experience Milton H. Joffe THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF DRUG ABUSE CONTROL Governmental and Regulatory Problems with LSD Neil L. Chayet THE LAW-MEDICINE INSTITUTE OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY Social and Legal Aspects of LSD Usage Nicholas J. Giarman THE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF YALE UNIVERSITY The Pharmacology of LSD Dominick P. Purpura, M.D. THE ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE Neurophysiological Actions of LSD Murray E. Jarvik, M.D. THE ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE The Behavioral Effects of Psychotogens Wesleyan University Press MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT Book jacket flaps "By presenting what is known, as well (continued from front flap) as frank, non-moralistic discussion of is- sues posed by those for whom LSD has The contributors to this volume include attractions, the Wesleyan symposium a number of the most highly respected makes a valuable contribution." researchers and workers in the field of psychedelics: Frank Barron of the —Science Institute of Personality Assessment and We need a sober assessment of what we Research of the University of California; know about LSD—what we know Neil L. Chayet of the Law-Medicine confidently, what we know less than Institute of Boston University; Nicholas confidently and what we do not know at all. J. Giarman of the Medical School of Yale And we need to secure this information in University; Dr. Murray E. Jarvik and Dr. terms that the intelligent layman can Dominick P. Purpura of the Albert understand. Einstein College of Medicine; Milton H. Joffe of the United States Bureau of This statement, made at the opening of Drug Abuse Control; Dr. Albert A. Wesleyan University's symposium on Kurland of Spring Grove State Hospital LSD in March of 1967, was the keynote in Baltimore; Dr. Donald B. Louria of of the conference, the papers and discus- Bellevue Hospital in New York City; sions of which make up this book. These and Dr. Walter N. Pahnke of the papers, by nine experts whose sole pur- Massachusetts Mental Health Center. pose is to discover and to set forth the truth, present what facts are known Several of these men point out that the about LSD. mass media have publicized a folklore of LSD, a chic amalgam of anecdote and The book is arranged in three sections, half-truth that is seductive and danger- each followed by a transcript of the ously misleading to many people, tape-recorded floor discussion. The first especially the young. To counter this section concerns LSD and the individual folklore and to determine how society and considers in detail the motivations and the individual can best make use of of those who use the drug, the conse- the unique qualities of the psychedelic quences of its use and its therapeutic drugs, we need the "hard" data of potential. The second section discusses objective scientists. And we need men of fully the enormous impact of the drug good will and true social concern to on our society in three principal areas discuss the problems openly. This was —religion, law and medicine. The final the purpose of the symposium, as it is section concerns the substance itself, its the purpose of this book. pharmacological properties and its neurophysiological and behavioral effects. WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY PRESS (continued on back flap) Middletown, Connecticut FRANK BARRON NEIL CHAYET NICHOLAS J. GIARMAN MURRAY E. JARVIK MILTON H. JOFFE ALBERT A. KURLAND DONALD B. LOURIA WALTER N. PAHNKE DOMINICK P. PURPURA Edited by RICHARD C. DEBOLD and RUSSELL C. LEAF Wesleyan University Press MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT Copyright © 1967 by Wesleyan University Library of Congress Catalog Number: 67-24111 Manufactured in the United States of America First printing October 1967; second printing December 1967 third printing April 1968 Contents Introduction vii 1 Motivational Patterns in LSD Usage 3 By FRANK BARRON 2 The Therapeutic Potential of LSD in Medicine 20 By ALBERT A. KURLAND 3 The Abuse of LSD 36 By DONALD B. LOURIA 4 First Discussion 50 5 LSD and Religious Experience 60 By WALTER N. PAHNKE 6 Governmental and Regulatory Problems with LSD 85 By MILTON H. JOFFE 7 Social and Legal Aspects of LSD Usage 92 By NEIL L. CHAYET 8 Second Discussion 125 9 The Pharmacology of LSD 143 By NICHOLAS J. GIARMAN 10 Neurophysiological Actions of LSD 159 By DOMINICK P. PURPURA 11 The Behavioral Effects of Psychotogens 186 By MURRAY E. JARVIK 12 Third Discussion 207 Notes on Contributors 217 Introduction We need a sober assessment of what we know about LSD—what we know confidently, what we know less than confidently and what we do not know at all. And we need to secure this informa- tion in terms that the intelligent layman can understand. BURTON C. HALLOWELL Executive Vice President, Wesleyan University MR. HALLOWELL'S words are from his introductory remarks on the occasion at which the papers contained in this book were given, a public symposium held in the Wesleyan University chapel in March of 1967. They reflect the intentions of the editors and of the speakers. We set out to discover what was known about LSD, and beyond LSD itself, about the people who use it and the society in which it has become a powerful agent of concern. There can be no doubt of the impact of LSD. In fact, we were so sure of general acquaintance with it that we did not feel it necessary to begin with a description of LSD or of the way in which it is used, although we did include such descriptions later. Most people who pick up this book will be aware of LSD, and they will have some knowledge of what it does and what it is reputed to do. As several of our con- tributors point out, the press and popular magazines have devoted a great deal of space and time to popularization of the folklore of LSD. But folklore is far from enough. If society and individuals are to cope with the effects of LSD and other such materials, we need facts of a usable nature. This book begins with a discussion of the relationship between the individual and LSD—the why, the how and the abuse. Frank Barron, who has written at length on the subject of creativity, opens the discussion by tackling the difficult problem of the motivations that lead people to use LSD. Investigations of the motivations that impel people to behave in certain ways are highly difficult to carry out successfully, perhaps because people often report their motives with poor insight into themselves. But Barron is in a unique position to succeed, as he is a staff-member of the Institute of Personality Assessment and Research at the viii University of California in Berkeley and has ready access to "the action" in the San Francisco Bay area. As his article shows, he is an astute observer and a clear interpreter. He begins with an assessment of the historical factors that have led to the present uncommitted nature of some young people. From his study he develops his main theme, which is that the stance adopted by many takers of LSD is a form of social protest. As he evolves his typology of LSD usage, Barron returns again and again to that theme; and in the discussions that followed the presentation of the papers clear evidence that he has made a valid point does emerge. Much of the discussion revolves about the dissatisfaction of people with present American society. But the psychotomimetic drugs are not necessarily instruments of protest against society, nor are they necessarily anti-societal agents. In their paper, Dr. Kurland and his co-workers present a positive view of the potential of LSD as a servant of man and society. The paper is a progress report on a major research enter- prise in which patients at a state hospital have been treated by use of LSD. The results of the treatment proved to be highly successful, given intensive preparation of the patients before LSD was used. Again and again in his discussion, Kurland makes the point that LSD can be a beneficial tool in certain situations if it is used by trained medical personnel, who are expert in the prepara- tion of the persons receiving the drug. Included in his paper are lengthy direct reports by the patients themselves. This is the sort of evidence that can be either highly convincing and strongly veridical or badly misleading and subject to criticism. Kurland imbeds the reports in a careful evaluation of the evidence and cautious speculation about the future. There can be no doubt of his and his co-workers' concern for the scientific aspects of their work and for the need for careful evaluation of the therapeutic potential of LSD. Lest we read Kurland's hopeful, yet cautious appraisal of the possibilities of LSD without an awareness of its dangers, the paper by Dr. Louria that follows speaks directly to the matter of the abuse of LSD. Louria, who has engaged in a number of public debates over uncontrolled usage of LSD, conveys his deep concern that the pleasure-to-risk ratio is far too high in the case of LSD.