The use of MDMA may produce psychological difficulties, like confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving, severe anxiety and paranoia, even weeks after the use of the drug. MSMA develops symptoms, such as muscle tension, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movements, faintness, chills, sweating, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. it, therefore, poses a special risk for those with heart disease. Overuse can lead to death (Kurtzweil).
West Africans used ibogaine as a stimulant and aphrodisiac in the early 1900s (Kurtzweil 1995). Native Americans used mescaline from peyote cactus in religious rituals. LSD was first synthesized in 1938. Throughout history, it was considered a source of many types of medications. Its psychedelic effects were first discovered in 1943. Two decades after World War II, LSD was used to determine its effects on patients with schizophrenia and other mental disorders. It was then studied for its use in psychotherapy for alcoholics and cancer patients. In the mid-70s, research was halted on account of its possible unpredictable side effects and abuse. Its illicit and unsupervised use by young adults in the 60s made the use of psychedelic drugs a major public concern. The drugs were also associated with "hippies," and thus had negative social implications (Kurtzweil).
A study of 135 alcoholics in the 60s showed that 53% of a high-dose group treated with LSD showed abstinence as against only 33% in a low-dose group (Kurtzweil 1995). Alcoholics who received conventional therapy registered a 12% improvement. Another study surveyed 31 cancer patients who suffered from anxiety, depression and severe pain. From this number, 71% showed improvement after each LSD session. Many cancer patients receiving LSA also said that their desire for addictive pain medicines, like
Another medical research reported that 29 out of 35 patients successfully treated with ibogaine were unsuccessfully treated with other modalities. A new wave of researchers was undertaken in the late 80s with the support of advances in brain chemistry. The FDA granted IND status to certain psychedelic drugs in the past years. An IND status means that these drugs have been studied in the laboratory for their major physical and chemical properties and then tests on laboratory animals for pharmacologic and toxic effects. In granting an IND status, FDA carefully insures that its
safety and scientific standards are met under controlled conditions. Scientists who would use these should apply to the Drug Enforcement Administration for a Schedule I permit. To receive IND approval, researcher must document a suitable drug source with satisfactory manufacturing capabilities and procedures. This was a problem because only few reputable U.S. drug manufacturers produced these drugs. In order to obtain high-quality drugs, psychedelic researchers relied on European manufacturers, hospital pharmacies and
university chemistry laboratories (Kurtzweil).
Another area of concern was recruiting subjects (Kurtzwei 1995). Experienced psychedelic users were preferred and their identities had to be protected in these studies. Subjects were, therefore, closely monitored in the
clinical setting by one or more health professionals. Researchers projected the uses of their research. Scientists at the University of New Mexico projected the uses of their research. They foresaw that they could develop treatments for drug overdoses. They felt that if they could establish how these drugs worked, they could treat those who came to the
emergency room because of a panic reaction. Other scientists believed that their research could provide them with better understanding about the
human brain. Dr. Stephen Szara of the National Institute on
Drug Abuse in 1994 wrote that recent advances on the neurosciences and cognitive sciences could prove to be suitable means into exploring the
mystery of the brain. He said that those conducting the investigations were very committed professionals who would want to evaluate what these drugs can really do (Kurtzweil).
Bibliography
Kotler, Steven. Drugs in Rehab. Psychology Today: Sussex Publishers, Inc., April 2005
Klotter, Jule. End-of-Life and Psychedelic Research. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients: The Townsend Group, July 2005
Kurtzweil, Paula. Medical Possibilities for Psychedelic Drugs. FDA Consumer: U.S. Government Printing Office, September 1995
Luke, David P. And Marrios Kottenis. A Preliminary Survey of Paranormal Experiences with Psychoactive Drugs. Journal of Parapsychology: Parapsychology Press, 2005
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