Genie in a blotter: A comparative study of LSD and LSD analogues’ effects and user profile

This survey (n=96,894) analyses the self-reported patterns of the use and effects of LSD and its analogs as well as the traits of its users. It found that in terms of time to peak and duration, LSD analogs were similar to LSD, however, they were weaker in pleasurable high, strength, and come down. The study called for more such researches with chemical confirmation and dose measurement.

Abstract

“Objective This study aimed to describe self-reported patterns of use and effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) analogues (AL-LAD, 1P-LSD, and ETH-LAD) and the characteristics of those who use them.

Methods An anonymous self-selected online survey of people who use drugs (Global Drug Survey 2016; N = 96,894), which measured perceived drug effects of LSD and its analogues.

Results Most LSD analogue users (91%) had also tried LSD. The proportion of U.K. and U.S. respondents reporting LSD analogue use in the last 12 months was higher than for LSD only. LSD analogue users described the effects as psychedelic (93%), over half (55%) obtained it online, and almost all (99%) reported an oral route of administration. The modal duration (8 hr) and time to peak (2 hr) of LSD analogues were not significantly different from LSD. Ratings for pleasurable high, strength of effect, comedown, urge to use more drugs, value for money, and risk of harm following use were significantly lower for LSD analogues compared with LSD.

Conclusions LSD analogues were reported as similar in time to peak and duration as LSD but weaker in strength, pleasurable high, and comedown. Future studies should seek to replicate these findings with chemical confirmation and dose measurement.“

Authors: Leigh D. Coney, Larissa J. Maier, Jason A. Ferris, Adam R. Winstock & Monica J. Barratt

Summary

This study aimed to describe the use and effects of LSD analogues.

1 | INTRODUCTION

Many similar structured compounds have emerged since the first use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in 1943, and the emergence of new psychoactive substances is partially driven by legislative processes chasing a synthesise – proscribe – synthesise model.

The use of LSD analogues has been reported amongst nightclub attendees in the United States, and social media and cryptomarket monitoring studies have detected discussion of this class of drugs.

LSD analogues share the same lysergic backbone as LSD, but present slight variations in their chemical structure. They act as an agonist of the 5HT2A receptor, which is generally considered the mediator of hallucinogenic effects behaviourally and subjectively.

Research on mice indicated that 1PLSD, ALLAD, and LSZ are 38% the potency of LSD, slightly less potent than LSD, and equipotent with LSD. The dosage of these compounds is comparable to the dosage of LSD.

In this paper, we use an anonymous web survey to compare the selfreported effect profile of LSD analogues in humans to the effect profile of LSD.

Global Drug Survey conducted an anonymous online survey on the use of psychoactive substances between November 2015 and February 2016. The survey was translated into 10 languages and was conducted in partnership with global media partners.

A total of 100,711 responses were submitted to GDS, of which 3,817 records were excluded due to data capture glitches, duplicate entries, reporting no psychoactive drug use at all, reporting the use of a fake drug, and reported age over 100 years.

Selfreported lifetime use and recent use of LSD and LSD analogues were collected. LSD analogues were referred to as “LSD analogues” in this paper. A set of variables was used to profile NPS including route of administration, source of the drug, and effects such as type of effect, duration, time to peak, strength, pleasurable high, comedown, urge to use more drugs, negative effects whilst high, and risk of harm following use of the drug.

Prior to running multivariate analyses, missing value analysis was performed on variables of interest, and multicollinearity and singularity were also tested. Linearity appeared to be violated, but MANOVA was conducted anyway, and the results were still valid.

3.1 | Patterns of use

Of the 96,894 respondents, 25,953 reported use of LSD, compared to 2,349 of LSD analogues. 13% reported recent LSD use, whereas 1% reported recent LSD analogue use.

3.2 | Demographics of LSD analogue users

A higher proportion of recent LSD analogue users were found in the UK and the United States compared to recent LSD users.

3.3 | Description by those whom an LSD analogue was “the last new drug tried”

Participants reported that LSD analogues were mostly psychedelic (LSD/ketamine like), 2% were mostly stimulant (cocaine/amphetamine like), 1% were mostly cannabis like, and 1% were mostly empathogenic (MDMA/ecstasy like). Most participants swallowed their LSD analogues, while 17% reported other ROA.

3.4 | Comparison of effects of LSD and LSD analogues

The modal duration of effect for both LSD and LSD analogues was 8 hr, and the mean time to peak was 2 hr.

LSD and LSD analogues were compared for pleasurable high, strength of effect, negative effects whilst high, comedown, urge to use more drugs, value for money, and risk of harm. The MANOVA yielded significant findings on the combined variables measuring the effects of the last new drug used. LSD was rated higher than LSD analogues on pleasurable high, strength of effect, comedown, urge to use more drugs, value for money, and risk of harm.

4 | DISCUSSION

In this sample of people aged in their mid20s, identifying as White, and mostly fulltime students or employed, users of LSD analogues were more likely to report recent LSD analogue use than recent LSD only use. The majority of participants who had used LSD analogues reported obtaining LSD analogues online, and the type of effect was psychedelic (LSD/ketamine like). LSD analogues were rated significantly lower than LSD for pleasurable high, strength, urge to use more drugs, value for money, risk of harm following use, and comedown.

This study has several limitations, including possible drug reporting inaccuracies, manufacturer mislabelling, and a self-selected sample. Future studies should seek to replicate these findings with chemical confirmation, and should investigate the harms of LSD analogues, both short term and long term.

5 | CONCLUSION

This study describes the selfreported effect profile of LSD analogues in humans, including duration, time to peak, and ROA. LSD analogues were considered weaker in regard to strength, pleasurable high, and comedown.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the participants, media partners, Stuart Newman and Chris Parsons for their help with the Global Drug Survey 2016.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

The authors of this paper are L. C., M. B., L. M., J. F., and A. W. They all contributed to the statistical analysis and writing of the paper.