LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) - What Is It Made Of?

What Is It Made Of?

LSD is a colorless, odorless drug with a bitter taste. It is made from ergot, a brown, toxic (poisonous) mold that grows on rye and other grains. The chemical formula for LSD is C20H25N3O. LSD is a

Putting LSD on blotter papers is a common way to dispense a dose. Torn from perforated sheets of paper, they are smaller than a postage stamp, square in shape, and decorated with colorful graphics. The papers are soaked in LSD and sold separate
Putting LSD on blotter papers is a common way to dispense a dose. Torn from perforated sheets of paper, they are smaller than a postage stamp, square in shape, and decorated with colorful graphics. The papers are soaked in LSD and sold separately, in sheets, or in books. Sinclair Stammers/Photo Researchers, Inc.

very difficult drug to synthesize. A DEA publication titled "An Overview of Club Drugs: Drug Intelligence Brief," describes the drug's manufacture as "a time-consuming, complex chemical process" that requires "a solid background in chemistry." It is hard to obtain the ingredients needed to make the drug. Most of the LSD in the United States is manufactured in the city of San Francisco, California. Because it is made in illegal labs, there is no guarantee of the drug's purity or safety.

The DEA reports that a typical dose of LSD is not as strong as it used to be. In the late 1960s, at the height of its use, the dosage ranged from 100 micrograms to 200 micrograms. As of 2005, doses were in the 20 microgram to 80 microgram range. An average dose costs about $5 to $10.