The History of Natural LSD, LSA
Many people are familiar with the drug LSD. However, the natural version of the drug, LSA, is a lot less well-known. LSD is a drug made in a lab. The natural version LSA has a very rich history.
The Aztecs
The use of LSA started in the time of the Aztecs. This was a people who lived in America before it was occupied by the Europeans. LSA was found here in abundance. However, not in the form you would expect it to be.
LSA is a substance that can be found in the seeds of very normal plants. You can find this substance in the seeds of the Morning Glory and in those of the Hawaiian Baby Woodrose. These plants are found in forests all over the world.
The effect of LSA is much more intense than that of LSD. This is because you can also experience nausea, vomiting, headaches and flatulence. Among the Aztecs, the seeds were widely eaten during a number of rituals. Eating the seeds would ensure that they would come a lot closer to the gods and also be in contact with them.
The drug was soon discovered by settlers who came to America from Spain. It was soon seen as blasphemy by these settlers to take it. The use and knowledge of the seeds was therefore quickly avoided by the settlers. This quickly meant that there were fewer and fewer people who knew about the seeds.
The substance was not rediscovered until 1941. This was done by an ethno-botanist. He immediately indicated that the seeds had already been used by the Aztecs. Later it became known that the seeds were used in rituals of the Zapotec Indians.
A number of samples of the seeds were sent to Albert Hofmann. The seeds of the Ololiuqui were used for this. These were quickly analyzed by him. This showed that it contained a certain substance whose effect was very similar to that of LSD.
The first experiments Hofmann did with the seeds was testing on their own. He did this by eating the seeds. He found out that this gives a kind of dreamy trip. He also found out that you get a kind of tired feeling.
The difference between LSD and LSA
LSD and LSA are substances that are quite similar. LSD is actually a kind of starting material that produces a different end product through a chemical reaction. Before a substance is LSD, it was first LSA.
LSA was first discovered as a substance by Albert Hofmann. This man also developed the substance LSD. Hofmann has different experiments with the drug going on himself. He always experienced a kind of dreamy and sleepy state of LSA.
LSA has a long history as a drug used for ceremonial use. However, it is not an alternative to LSD. The trip you experience is very different from LSD. LSD causes a transparent and energizing effect while LSA ensures that you get a numbing, dream-like feeling. Even though the two chemicals have the same chemical composition, they are not very similar.
Legality
Drugs are prohibited in the Netherlands and in most countries of the world. However, not all natural products containing drugs are legal. For example, it is not prohibited to sell or purchase LSA-containing seeds. However, it is illegal to extract these substances from the seeds and to sell them. It is also forbidden to take the substances.
In the Netherlands, LSA is seen as a controlled substance. In the United Kingdom, LSA is a Class A drug and in the United States it is a Schedule III drug. There are also some countries that do not have classification or laws about owning, selling or taking LSA. Canada and Hungary are the only countries that don't have laws about this.
At the moment it is thought that you may have taken LSA, a test can be taken. Most drug tests are not specifically designed for LSA. However, because the substances are very similar, LSA can usually be detected by means of tests that can capture LSD. This is due to the chemical structure of LSD and LSA.
