Contrary to popular belief, LSD is much more connected to Britain than it is to the US. This engaging book looks at the use of LSD in British society, from its arrival in 1952 to the present day. It provides a hidden history of a controversial drug and how it permeated British culture. The author explores LSD’s use by the medical profession in treating a variety of psychological and mental problems. At the same time, The Ministry of Defense believed they were on the brink of harnessing LSD as a battlefield incapacitation drug that would enable wars to be won without loss of life. But LSD’s popularity rose with its use among the British counterculture, from the 1950s beatniks through to the late 80s acid house parties. At its height, when it was legal, LSD affected the lives and philosophies of significant individuals (politicians, scientists, writers, educators, entertainers, artists, journalists) as well as ordinary people for good and bad. This book is the first to explore LSD’s amazing influence on British culture and society.
Doctors believed this mysterious drug was a panacea for disorders of the mind. The Secret Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Defence were confident they could harness its powers for interrogation or as a battlefield incapacitant. Hippies and members of the counterculture welcomed the drug as not only a hotline to spiritual experience but also as a Disneyland of the senses.
They were all, to some degree, correct, but no one could completely harness or direct the awesome effect of LSD.
Although outlawed by Parliament, LSD was, and continues to be, taken by millions.
On the 50th anniversary of LSD being introduced to Britain, Albion Dreaming unearths the hidden past of one of the most powerful drugs on the planet and takes the reader on a trip into a psychedelic history of Britain, from which they will return with a new understanding of LSD and its place in society.
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