NCJ Number
168436
Date Published
1994
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This chapter attempts to learn, through interviews with former LSD users and their parents, why young people use LSD.
Abstract
Six adolescents (four boys and two girls) and two parents, all from the same suburban community near a large mid-Atlantic area, were interviewed. All the adolescents were 17 years old at the time of the interviews and were enrolled in a drug rehabilitation program. The users recalled their experiences, both good and bad, with the drug. They discussed: why, how, where, and when they experienced LSD; its anticipated and actual effects; and eventual problems. The parents' attitudes and knowledge about drugs in general and LSD in particular were in striking contrast to those of the adolescents. The youths used LSD because they enjoyed the experience it produced, transforming the elements of conventional life into an interesting adventure. However, bad trips can occur because of poor mood or drug quality and can turn profoundly terrifying. Severely unpleasant trips were one of the major reasons youths quit the drug. Also, LSD¦s disadvantages, such as problems with sleep and diet, can turn problematic with long-term heavy use, causing users to become so detached from normal life that they cease to function. Such disconnection is a second major reason why the youths stopped using the drug. The chapter discusses adults' views of LSD, the typical LSD user, and the shortcomings of this analysis.