Learning about STP

In 1967, a synthetic psychedelic drug nicknamed STP escaped from Dow Chemical's archives and caused a public health crisis in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Young hip doctors, underground chemists, and users each interpreted the drug differently, but only the doctors were recognized as experts by media reports. This article combines contemporary media accounts, pharmacology, and first-person narratives to examine how STP came to be understood as dangerous. The episode serves as a case study in how knowledge about new unsanctioned psychoactive substances is formed and which sources are acknowledged or overlooked, offering timely lessons as psychedelics regain attention.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract In 1967, a synthetic psychedelic drug, nicknamed STP, escaped from the archives of Dow Chemical and flooded the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco. The resulting public health crisis can be seen as a case study in how new unsanctioned psychoactive substances become legible to society through the efforts of different actors. STP was interpreted by young hip doctors, underground chemists, and the users themselves. While the first group achieved recognition as experts, the others were largely omitted from media reports on the drug. This article brings together contemporary media reports, pharmacology, and first-person accounts to explore how STP came to be understood as a dangerous drug. As psychedelics gain renewed attention, it is timely to use historic events like the STP crisis to understand how knowledge of new drugs is formed and what sources are recognized or overlooked in the process.