History of Regulation

You see, Alice, there are many reasons why things have come to be the way they are. Here is the story of how it happened to give you some context.

The CIA saw LSD as a potential truth serum or tool for mind control. In 1953, Canadian researchers used high doses of LSD to scare alcoholics into sobriety but instead discovered that it gave them a mystical experience instead, which had convinced them to stop drinking. Between 1953 and 1964, the CIA experimented with LSD on civilians, prisoners, government employees, and its own agents, who were unaware that they were slipped the drug.

In response to the CIA’s abuses, Congress restricted LSD use to scientific research in 1965. Also, LSD and other psychedelics became associated with the countercultural movement of the 1960’s, which promoted peace and love, and encouraged resistance to the Vietnam War. In 1966, the U.S. made LSD illegal.

In 1970, Richard Nixon passed the Controlled Substances Act, which classified psychedelic drugs, such as LSD and psilocybin, as Schedule I with other more toxic and potentially addictive substances. Accordingly, research studies on the drugs have plummeted, as monetary incentive and reputation for the field took a negative turn.

David Nichols, a pioneer in psychedelic drug research of the late 20th century, founded the Heffter Research Institute in 1993 with psychiatrist Charles Grob for the purpose of thorough psychedelic research. The Heffter Research Institute was successful in receiving FDA approval for various small psychedelics studies.

Still, only 349 scientists currently have DEA licenses to conduct psychedelics research trials. The future prospects of psychedelics research are tenuous, given that the field is not very financially promising. In addition, the stigma surrounding psychedelics as harmful drugs still persists.

Nonetheless, there is a growing generation of researchers who are brave enough to enter the field and are excited to see where the fate of the drug is headed.

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000- present

In 1906, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drugs Act largely as a result of public outrage about unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry and concerns about fraudulent patent medicines. Medicines and foods that contained a specific list of narcotic drugs including heroin, cocaine, and cannabis were required to label the amounts. No psychedelic drugs were included in the list.

In 1909, the importation of opium for non-medical use was criminalized. The Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914 required a prescription from a licensed physician for the purchase of opiates and cocaine above a specified limit. This was the first time such a requirement was made for any drug.

In 1938, Albert Hofmann, a Swiss chemist, synthesized LSD for the first time while studying a type of fungus. Seeing potential psychiatric benefits of the drug, Hoffmann decided to further test the drug on animals and lead other researchers to follow suit. Between 1950 and 1963, LSD was tested on approximately 40,000 people around the world.

In 1919, Congress ratified the 18th Amendment, which made the production, transport, and sale of alcohol illegal. On January 17, 1920 the Prohibition Era official began and continued until the ratification of the 22nd Amendment repealed it.

(Doblin, 2000; Ferro, 2013)

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History of Psilocybin Regulation