LSD Being Tested on British Troops

[c.Tech]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=517198059628627413
This would have to be the strangest and most dangerous test I've seen or heard of the military doing.

I wonder what the person who conducted this experiment was thinking. "Hmmmmm... It could be very productive to find out how troops would behave if they were handling deadly weapons on a hallucinogenic drug, :rolleyes: lets test!"

I've looked for information on why this test was done but all I can find is the same video, over and over again on different sites.

Does anybody know anything about this topic?

[nbk2000]

How recent is this? I haven't heard of any such tests being done since the 60's, which is when the video you linked to was filmed.

[BeerWolf]

From what I understand, the 1960's test on US troops were to see if a gas could be made for use on other country's troops on the battlefield.

They wanted to make something that would cause the enemy troops to turn on each other in the confusion.

Imagine thousands of people having a bad trip all at once.

With guns :)

[c.Tech]

Imagine thousands of people having a bad trip all at once.

With guns :)

Sounds nasty. If I got hit with it I would run off to a corner and trip all day :D, screw battle.

But its not a bad idea, if they got hit 45 minutes before reaching the battlefield they would ether have 1 or 2 soldiers killing others or just being incapable to fight.

It would be quite a funny show if enemies on both sides got dosed on LSD and were fighting.

Is there anybody who has had experience with LSD? If so what would be the chance of going into a bad trip during battle?

[AcidWench]

I know people who have done LSD, and they said that it increases whatever mood you're in. So if you're tense and nervous about going into battle, then you will become extremely irritable and on the edge, and most likely extremely dangerous.

[c.Tech]

Unless you go into a bad trip.

I’ve read many LSD erowid experience reports (http://www.erowid.org/experiences/subs/exp_LSD.shtml) and it doesn’t seem that strait forward.

I suggest looking under the sections “bad trips” and “Train wreaks and trip disasters”

[AcidWench]

I didn't mean that was the only effect, it's just one of them, plus all the freaking out and shit

[Dr. Chaos]

Didn,t the Russians use something akin to that to rescue those hostages held inside some theater by terrorists? I seem to remember that the results were lethal to many innocents.

[c.Tech]

It was a mixture of "A combination of fentanyl and halothane" (http://www.roguesci.org/theforum/battlefield-chemistry/5677-dmt-psychadelic-knockout-agent-2.html).

This topic has been discussed before and it can be found through google as well, next time do a search.

[Lewis]

I remember hearing somewhere that LSD was used as a chemical weapon in the Gulf War. Can anyone verify this?

[Nihilist]

Though i'm sure LSD would be very effective at disabling an enemy army...it might make for an even better propaganda tool. If you have real videos of enemy troops acting like crazed maniacs, it's much easier to stir the sheeple to 'defend their country' against the 'inhuman, and insane invading armies of evil'.

They did it with Castro in the 60's, the CIA put LSD in his cigars right before he gave speeches in an attempt to make him look bad in front of his people.

[Charlie Workman]

I've seen that vid before. Other than the one guy freaking out or at least not seeming to have a good time, the others seemed to just grin and look at the pretty colors. Having taken a whole lot of LSD in my younger days, this is pretty consistent with my experience. Your ability to concentrate and keep a coherent train of thought is shot. Never seen anyone go nuts and run amuck, though I suppose it's possible. As far as follow directions or get anything accomplished, forget it. They would no longer be effective either as a unit or as individual fighters. The presence of bullets flying and explosions would probably induce a massive case of the "FEARS". This would result in quivering and cowering. One of the reasons I don't do it anymore.

"To paraphrase Aristotle, life is a gas!".
-Gidget

[Genocyde]

In my younger days I was an acid freak. I've eaten at least 300 hits of LSD. LSD is not what you guys think. A person under the effect of LSD has plenty of control over himself, also an unbelievable amount of raw energy. I've only known a couple of real weak minded types to flip out or have a "bad trip". When tripping, you know you're tripping, you understand the drug is messing with your head and you enjoy it. That is why you took it in the first place.

I think small doses of LSD given to soldiers could be benefecial. They would have near superhuman energy, and be very focused on their goals.


Surely there are some more old-timers on here who have dropped a few hits. Maybe they will chime in and tell about it.

[Lewis]

LSD seems like one of the worst drugs to take in wartime environment. If I was to give my soldiers anything, it'd probably administer something from the speed family.

[Cobalt.45]

I think small doses of LSD given to soldiers could be benefecial. They would have near superhuman energy, and be very focused on their goals.

Near superhuman energy? "Unbelievable amount of raw energy"?

Not a description I've ever heard attributed to LSD. Speed, coke, maybe even MDMA or PCP, but acid?

[c.Tech]

Speed would be a good drug for war, make soldiers fight for days on end, let them sleep for a couple of days whilst you speed up another lot and throw them into battle, repeat.

There are a number of problems, addiction may set in and the drug will loose its effects.

I believe hearing on one of those crap meth cook sites that methamphetamine is the same drug “Hitler used to make his soldiers fight for days on end.”

[Cobalt.45]

According to recently released info, Hitler himself was propped up on amphetamines, on a daily basis. His doctor provided the speed. In his notes, it was referred to as "Multivitin" or some such.

When speed was outlawed in Germany, the good doc was thought to have provided Hitler with less than pharmaceutical quality goods. This was thought to have either added to or outright caused his health decline, palsy, etc. during the last days of the reich.

WWII saw the use of speed by all sides, from our fighter pilots to divine wind-ers.

I'd be willing to bet that contingency plans within the military's of today include the use of amphetamines...

[Nihilist]

WWII saw the use of speed by all sides, from our fighter pilots to divine wind-ers.


U.S. pilots are given benzedrine pills, aka "go pills" and temazepam pills "no-go pills".

+++++++++++

Don't quote whole posts, only the relevant part. NBK

[Jacks Complete]

They give them a lot more than the legal stuff if they have to, though.

Most of the new "super-wakefulness" drugs, such as Modfinil, are from research by the US Air Force and Army, who really want the soldiers to be more focused for longer during attacks, etc. I'd rather not be fighting a gun battle after 3 days awake, it's a sign of piss poor planning! However, they want to use this to effectively double the number of troops available at a given time, to reduce invasion costs while having the ability to strike continuously.

[Chris The Great]

They did it with Castro in the 60's, the CIA put LSD in his cigars right before he gave speeches in an attempt to make him look bad in front of his people.

I've never heard this before but I can tell you it's just a myth. LSD breaks down just from sitting around in the sun and it very easily broken down by higher temperature. If a cigar was laced with any it would simply get burned right up and not affect the smoker at all.

[Charlie Workman]

Chris- They didn't mean for him to smoke the acid. It was placed on the part he would put in his mouth. Remeber, the Company had the best acid in the world in those days.