Common Misconceptions About Psychedelics

This page covers some of the common misconceptions the general public or even less educated drug users may hear and repeat on the subject of psychedelic drugs.

Psychedelics cause schizophrenia

While psychedelics cannot directly cause schizophrenia, it can 'unlock' or otherwise exacerbate an underlying issue/those predisposed to schizophrenia.

Stored in spinal fluid

This myth is commonly heard in relation to LSD, which is metabolized by the liver and has an elimination half-life of around 2.5 to 4 hours. There is no proof that LSD is stored in the spinal fluid, the misconception seems to have come from PCP where some of the drug is apparently stored in fat cells.

Psychedelics make you think you can fly, and users jump off buildings/cliffs

There are rare cases of people falling to their death while tripping on psychedelics; however, these incidents were likely either suicides or accidents caused by disorientation or misjudgement of distance, rather than attempts to "fly". There were just two confirmed cases, and both happend in the sixties, but no one really knows the reason people did it. After those incidents there were many propaganda movies to convince common people that it is normal reaction on psychedelics.

LSD tattoo

There's a rumour that in the 60's, LSD was placed in Blue Star temporary tattoos made for kids. Get it wet, put it on your kids arm, suddenly your child has gone mad and is trying to jump out of windows.

LSD requires strychnine to bond with blotter paper

Strychnine, a common pesticide, is not used in any step of the production of LSD, nor is it needed for LSD to bond with paper. Research has been done by J. K. Brown and M. H. Malone on 581 street samples. 84.5% contained pure LSD, 5.3% contained LSD, and PCP. 1.9% contained only PCP. 0.9% contained LSD, and meth, and PCP. Strychnine was never found.

LSD causes chromosome damage and birth defects

This story began with short publication in Science journal in 1967 claiming that LSD added to cultured human white blood cells produced chromosomal abnormalities. Later The New England Journal of Medicine contained an article highlighting the discovery of birth defects and genetic damage caused by LSD. Later more careful studies demonstrated that the conclusions were ill founded and LSD is not causing detectable genetic damage.

Double/triple dipped blotters are a measure of potency

This may be an advertising ploy from dealers of blotter-based psychedelic chemicals. A piece of blotter paper can only hold so much of the chemical, and re-dipping it will not cause any increase in the concentration or absorption.

Regular use of psychedelics will make you braindead/ruin your mind

Such alarmist views of psychedelic use are common in governmental literature, and while overuse and abuse of psychedelics may have a lasting mental effect on the user, psychedelics can be used responsibly and relatively regularly without any lasting effects.

Users thinking they've turned into a glass of orange juice

Full scale visions and 'trips' such as those portrayed in the media are generally not representative of the experiences a user will have on psychedelics outside of perhaps a high-dose mushroom or DMT trip. Trips on, for example, LSD or 2c-b on regular doses are much more mild and easily manageable.

This particular myth originates from the 1960's, when a story of unknown origin (a friend of a friend had this happen to their nephew) claimed he turned into a glass of orange juice after tripping on LSD. The man allegedly refused to sleep laying down, made very slow movements, and never bent over due to a fear of being spilled.

Holes in the brain

Commonly associated with MDMA, this myth has some basis in fact. MDMA is neurotoxic and while it won't put holes in your brain, long term abuse has been proven to damage serotonin receptors. However, this trait is not shared with other psychedelics.

Being caught selling LSD will result in an attempted murder charge

This myth may have origins in stories about long prison sentences for possession or sale of LSD, that may have been comparable to sentences given to those convicted of murder.