MIND-ALTERING DRUGS

“But the man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out.”

Ajamian – Cole – Marshall

MIND-ALTERING DRUGS• produce a qualitative change in thought, perception or

mood• cause remarkable distortions in touch, smell, hearing,

and vision

aka • psychedelic drugs• psychotomimetic (simulating ‘madness’’)• hallucinogens (a hallucination – perception or feeling

that has no external cause )

MIND-ALTERING DRUGS• lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD )

• from ergot – fungus that grows on rye and other grains• mescaline

• from peyote cactus• (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine)

• psilocybin • from ‘magic mushrooms’

These 3 resemble neurotransmitter serotonin… bind with receptors in the brain… ‘overstimulate’ the receptors

• tetrahydrocannabinol • found in marijuanna… cannabis… extracted from Cannabis

sativa

LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide (or, if you prefer, Lysergsäure-diethylamid)

(not to be confused with LDS)

Urban Legends

• “Acid stays in your body forever”

• “That one guy jumped off that building”

• “Acid fries holes in your brain”

• “That one guy got stuck”

Effects• Highly varied depending on dose, user’s

physiology and psychology• Magnified perception• Destroy user’s sense of judgment

– “that one guy who jumped from that building”• Strong, often opposite emotions• Physically – dilationof pupils, inc heart rate,

bp, body temp… sweating, sleeplessness, tremors

• Potential for bad trips and acid flashbacks• No physically addictive properties• Fast tolerance cycle

Effects• Highly varied depending on dose, user’s

physiology and psychology• Magnified perception• Destroy user’s sense of judgment

– “that one guy who jumped from that building”• Strong, often opposite emotions• Physically – dilationof pupils, inc heart rate,

bp, body temp… sweating, sleeplessness, tremors

• Potential for bad trips and acid flashbacks• No physically addictive properties• Fast tolerance cycle

LSD’s Structure• Note the indole* ring!

* benzene fused to a five membered ring containing a nitrogen

• Fat soluble• Diffuses into brain easily• Can cross placental barrier

to reach fetus

Mescaline - effects• vivid color hallucinations• less potent than LSD• high lasts about 12 hours• decrease in appetite• long term use may cause liver damage

Mescaline - structure

Psilocybin - effects

• mild hallucinogenLow dose: similar to cannabis

High dose: similar to LSD

Psilocybin - effects • High dose (similar to LSD)

– intensification of color– hallucinations– sense of well-being

• Low dose (similar to cannabis)

• Not addictive?... But tolerance is an issue

“Lasts up to four hours!”

Similarities in Structure of these 3 Psychedelics

Indole – heterocyclic amine

Contains a benzene sharing a C=C with a heterocylic ring containing a secondary amine.

Serotonin• neurotransmitter

LSD• Locate indole ring• Diethyl amine side chain

Psylocybin• locate indole role• note - dimethylamine [-N(CH3)2]• note - dihydrogen phosphate on benzene

Mescaline• benzene ring• no fused-ring heterocyclic…has primary

amine instead

Properties related to Structure• LSD, psyilocybin, (and mescaline) have

similar structures… which give them similar properties

• differences in structure relate to differences in properties

• presence of more nonpolar groups (-methyl) increases fat solubility which increases their potency

• presence of more polar groups (dihydrogen phosphate) decreases fat solubility which decreases potency

Comparison

• single dose of LSD 100 - 500 micrograms — an amount roughly equal to one-tenth the mass of a grain of sand.

• threshold effects can be felt with as little as 25 micrograms of LSD.[

• an active dose of mescaline is roughly 0.2 - 0.5g, has effects comparable to 100 µg or less of LSD.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

AKA…

“Never touch the freeze, just the sticky green leaves…”

“…so apt to turn everything–the air, the sky—to Persian rugs.”

“But what is the other terms for it?”

“Bionic, the bomb, the puff, the blow, the black, the herb, the sensei, the chronic, the sweet Mary Jane, the s---, ganja, split, reefa, the bad, the Buddha, the home grown, the ill, the Maui Wowie, the method, pot, lethal turbo, tie, shake, skunk, stress, whacky, weed, glaze, the boot, dimebag, Scooby Doo, bob, bogey, backyard boogie.” –Ali G

Cannabis (Marijuana) - Effects

• Mild hallucinogen – effects similar to alcohol

• Low doses– excitement, silliness

Cannabis (Marijuana) – Effects cont.

• Higher doses:– changes in perception (bright colors, keen hearing)– closed- and open-eye visual hallucinations– feelings of anxiety, depression, uneasiness,

panic, fear– difficulty with decision making – more likely to

follow suggestions of others– difficulty with memory– Reflexes dulled, thinking blurred – so task like

driving becomes difficult

Cannabis (Marijuana) – Effects cont.

• Long term:– Tolerance is NOT an issue– Psychologic dependence can develop– Risks associated with smoking - cancer– Potential for a bad trip

Legalization of Cannabis: For• Offer relief from some diseases and ailments

– AIDS – ‘wasting syndrome’ – C inc appetite– Cancer – nausea – C dec nausea so patients can

keep food down– Cancer – anxiety/tensions– C dec this in terminal

patients– Glaucoma – inc eye pressure – C dec interior eye

pressure

Legalization of Cannabis: For• Improve quality / safety of drug

– Reduce harmful impurities• Reduce association with ‘hard’ drugs.• Would reduce strain on courts, prisons, and law

enforcement• Dismantling of violent black market• Opportunity for balanced drug education• Would save billions of dollars• Personal freedom

Legalization of Cannabis: Against

• Regular use can lead to respiratory ailments

• Potential depression of immune system?• Decreased fertility in some males?• Chromosomal damage?• Potential exacerbation of psychiatric

ailments

Legalization of Cannabis: Against

• “Gateway drug”• Criminal sources

– Users overpay for drug• Risk of drugged driving