INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR INTERNAL FREEDOM (IFIF) -- ALPERT, RICHARD PH.D. -- LEARY, TIMOTHY F., PH.D. -- DRUGS, MIND AFFECTING, AGENCY POLICY REGARDING

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00146149
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 17, 2024
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: November 1, 1963

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1 November 1963
ME/JORANDUM. FOR TI-O.R.ECORD
SUBJECT: International Federation for Internal Freedom (171F) -
ALPERT, Richard, Ph. D.
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L'E.A.RY, Timothy rh. D.
Drugs, .!.4iine: Affecting, Agency Policy Regarding
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1. Reference fs m-acto to the articles (attached), "The
lialluciriogenic Drug Cult," appearing in The Reporter,. 15 August
..1963; "The Strange Case of the Harvard Dreg Scandal," appearing
in the 5 November 1963 issue of Look; and, numerous. other articles-.--
'irecently appearing in magazines 2..nd in the public press on the came
subject.. These articles concern the use of certain hf..,..11ucinogenic
drugs (particularly LSD, mescaline, peyot-.:, and psilocybin), some
dsind affecting mushrooms, and others by various groupFfor experi-
mental purposes, often of a quabi-relig,ioup nature. .
2. In the Spring of 1963, Harvard University fired �
Di:. Richard .ALPERT, a psychologist, from its staff for non- �
eentroll.ei use of the above-mentioned drugs for experimental pur- �
poem His associate, D. Timothy. LEARY, also a psychologist,' -
left the University aboutthe. same time. - These professors had been.
using hallucinogenic drugs in experiments involving undergraduate
.students and alter a series of attacks by faculty and by outside sources,
the University was forced to remove both of these individuals from its
staff. Somewhat earlier, Drs. ALPERT and 1...,Arty had set up an �
-organization known as the International Federation for Internal Freedom
(IFIF), which obviously was a cover for additional experimental work
in the hallucinogenic drugs. .After their dismissal from Harvard and
. the attacks on their activities by the Division of Food and Drugs of
the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and by the Federal �
Food e.nd Drug Administration, the two doctors transferred-their
activities to Mexico where they claimed that they would have,rnore
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freedom. seyeral chapters of the DIE' were organined tn
aurcrer_t pr.rt: of the United States, particularly at Loa Angolan,
New Yo r:z City, ar.c1 with the main orfice at Cambridge, Mascachucette.
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� 4. It should be noted that the aforementioned ballucinog;rnic
drugs are considered by the =co of Security and by the 14edie;__-.1. Offic�e
..� as extremely clalrerous. Uncontrolled experimentatien.has in the past -
; �4 resulted in tragic_ireumstances and for this reason -every effort
made to control iinvolver.Ient with these
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5. SRS :.has riot been able to determine whether any staff '
e.mployeee of the Agency have engaged in the UnzLuthorized taking of . .
any of these drug, but there is information that SOrrie non-Agency g.roups,
particularly on tho West Coast, have, taken these erug a in a type of . � �
religious exlerimentation. While as previously mentioned there arc �
no staff employees involved, some individuals Inorra.to have taken the
drugs have sensitive security clearances and arc engaged in classific.,a.
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work.
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� A:loth::: c:�.:.;:ter was organized at 2-.1e:�:lco City,
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3. SRS/OS has for a number of years been engalged with
�certain other Agency aieas in research and operational work with
sorne hz.11ucinogenic drugs. This work liae been under rigid SfIcurity
S.nd 11:,�cncy control, and the en:: Director or Security, Cblonel .1.1"."(17.7.�arciz,
laid down rigid instructions that these types of drugs were, not to be
used under any circtunstances on Agency personnel...pperational u.so
of the drugs was hz.,"ndled through a special committee. undar tho epe.cific-.
control and onlj N.;rith consent of Mr. Richard I-IeL-ns, DP. � � ��
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6. Any Information concerning the use of this type of drug
for experimental or'person2.1 reasons should. be reported irinnecliateiy�
to Chief/SRS/OS with all specific details furnished. In addition, any
information of Agency porsonnel involved with the International Fcc1e thtio:
for Internal Freedom, or with Drs.' ALPER.T or LEARY, or with any
. group engaging in this type of activity should also be reported. . �
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i'Cl.deijSRSICDS