Psychedelic Wars

Psychedelic drugs, especially LSD, occupy an ambiguous position in the history of the War on Drugs. This chapter examines distinct "psychedelic wars" in historical literature, clinical settings, personal experiences, and on the home front, showing how these substances were simultaneously portrayed as legitimate medicines or dangerous drugs. Historical actors—doctors, patients, policymakers, and users—fought their own personal battles in mental medicine and beyond. Reflecting on psychedelics within the War on Drugs, the chapter addresses underexplored issues of diversity, equity, biomedicine, counterculture, criminalization, commercialization, and the messy interconnections among these factors.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Psychedelic drugs, particularly LSD, have an awkward place in the War on Drugs. Through a focus on distinct “psychedelic wars” in the historical literature, in the clinic, with the self, and on the home front, this chapter showcases how substances were concurrently depicted as legitimate or illegitimate, as medicines or as dangerous drugs. It will also illustrate how the historical actors involved (doctors, patients, policy makers, users) fought their own personal psychedelic wars in the field of mental medicine and beyond. Finally, in reflecting on psychedelics as part of the War on Drugs, this chapter addresses under-explored elements related to diversity and equity, biomedicine, counterculture, criminalization, commercialization, and the messy relationship among those factors.