Forum debating LSD, other hallucinogens
Published: March 21, 2008 at 4:15 PM
BASEL , Switzerland, March 21 (UPI) -- The first World Psychedelic Forum opened Friday in Switzerland to highlight renewed scientific and cultural interest in hallucinogenic drugs.
Fifty experts from around the world are participating in the three-day forum in Basel, Switzerland, to debate "the multi-dimensional psychedelic experience with its tremendous potential for expanding consciousness and for self-awareness," forum officials told Swisinfo.com.
"(There) are very few people who know what psychedelics are about and many people think that LSD, heroin and cocaine are just illegal drugs," forum project manager Lucius Werthmuller told Swissinfo. "We want to let people know that psychedelics like LSD are not toxic, they don't lead to addiction and they are really safe if they are used the right way on a stable personality."
Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann, 102, who discovered the mind-altering LSD -- or lysergic acid diethylamide -- will be honored during the seminar. Doctors originally thought it could be used in psychotherapy but it became popular in the 1960s drug culture.
Last December the Swiss medical authorities said they approved LSD-assisted psychotherapy trials on patients suffering from advanced-stage cancer and other terminal illnesses, the first therapeutic study of its kind on humans in 35 years.
Fifty experts from around the world are participating in the three-day forum in Basel, Switzerland, to debate "the multi-dimensional psychedelic experience with its tremendous potential for expanding consciousness and for self-awareness," forum officials told Swisinfo.com.
"(There) are very few people who know what psychedelics are about and many people think that LSD, heroin and cocaine are just illegal drugs," forum project manager Lucius Werthmuller told Swissinfo. "We want to let people know that psychedelics like LSD are not toxic, they don't lead to addiction and they are really safe if they are used the right way on a stable personality."
Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann, 102, who discovered the mind-altering LSD -- or lysergic acid diethylamide -- will be honored during the seminar. Doctors originally thought it could be used in psychotherapy but it became popular in the 1960s drug culture.
Last December the Swiss medical authorities said they approved LSD-assisted psychotherapy trials on patients suffering from advanced-stage cancer and other terminal illnesses, the first therapeutic study of its kind on humans in 35 years.
© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
» Next in Science:
Extreme drug-resistant TB found in Glasgow
This undated NASA image shows two galaxies that are slowly colliding and possibly, in hundreds of millions of years, only one galaxy will remain. Although it is likely that no stars in the two galaxies will directly collide, the gas, dust and ambient magnetic fields do interact directly. These galaxies, part of the vast Hydra-Centaurus supercluster of galaxies, spans over 100 thousand light-years across and is located about 100 million light-years away. (UPI Photo/NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage)
NASA image shows galaxies that will slowly collide
Full Photo
| Slideshow
Latest Headlines
- Family and school stress linger for teens
- Canadian youth to face lighter sentencing
- Cows stampede on California highway
- Crime rate among Canadian young rising
- Parakeet eggs lure man into live wire
- Nadal-Djokovic face off comes to pass
- European Union to close tax havens
- Back injury sidelines Serena Williams
Most Popular
- Cows stampede on California highway
- Parakeet eggs lure man into live wire
- New York teachers learn cell phone lessons
- Florida deputy bitten by gator
- Arrest in 1991 'Point Break' robbery
- Thong helps Giambi out of slumps
- Woman with large cyst told to lose weight
- Bus group wants 'gentler' female drivers