Ancient Dreams, Modern-Day Dreamers

Synthetic hallucinogens are produced in laboratories with different combinations of substances. They include LSD, PCP, and “designer drugs” such as MDMA (ecstasy).

PCP stands for phencyclidine. In the drug culture, it is called angel dust. Doctors consider it the most dangerous hallucinogen, in part because it affects different people in unpredictable ways.

PCP is made in different forms: powder, capsule, tablet, and beverage. Some users force it directly into their bloodstreams with hypodermic syringes for faster effect. Others apply PCP powder to marijuana cigarettes or mix it with liquid cocaine.

LSD is lysergic acid diethylamide, often simply nicknamed “acid.” It is hundreds of times more powerful than natural hallucinogens. Consuming a tiny speck of the white powder can distort the senses. Illegal drug makers produce LSD capsules, tablets, sugar cubes, gelatin fragments, and dissolvable papers.

Other synthetic hallucinogens include certain “designer drugs.” Designer drugs are very similar to controlled substances and have the same effects on the body, but they are created with a slightly different chemical structure. Why are they made this way? Because if they are not exactly the same substance that is defined by law as illegal, then they arguably are legal. Not every variation is thoroughly lab-tested, which means they can be especially dangerous.

Hallucinogenic designer drugs include MDMA (methylene-dioxymethamphetamine), popularly known as ecstasy, and ketamine, called special K.