3:15 |  | Ryan Grim - I think there's something to that, yes, and that American was a less receptive place for psychedelics after Sept. 11, 2001. But primarily I think the disappearanc of LSD (and yes, it's beginning to come back, but let's not spoil the book too much) had more to do with three specific things. I wrote about them in a story I wrote for Slate oh-these-many-years ago...
http://www.slate.com/id/2098109/
1. The bust of Leonard Pickard, in November 2000, appears to have knocked out an allegedly major producer. Pickard and I have been corresponding since 2004 and he maintains his innocence. He's doing two consecutive life sentences for distribution of LSD. Even if guilty, I don't think the man belongs in prison. But other sources in the community, as well as circustantial evidence, indicate he was most likely a major producer.
2. The end of the Grateful Dead and Phish tours. These roving psychedelic postal services brought doses to every city they played.
3. The end of giant raves. Ravers would go to the Dead Lot and pick up a few sheets of acid, then take it to some major party.
With these three things knocked out, LSD was dealt a major blow. It's cheaper and easier to make ecstasy, so no major chemist has yet stepped in to fill the demand. But hey, Phish is coming back, so it may be time for a revival. |
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