POTENTIAL LARGE-SCALE AVAILABILITY OF LSD THROUGH NEWLY DISCOVERED SYNTHESIS BY (DELETED) WITH ATTACHED COVER NOTES PAGE

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00144957
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 22, 2024
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: October 26, 1954

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26 October 1954 _ -�-�
TIAL I
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NTE.LLIGENCE
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eral ch -is,. in-
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ted th services
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tu4r....rt4r-e-rs
mpany.
hunt in their possession
rived. frorr ergot
ea.sure t the fact
.1u limited Kiar.tities and
Sof �t
4. Hit'r.e to, LSD, csould r.o+- be cons ered serious'
;leIcal rf.are aieut for ert use This was du
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a) Unt- recent" only v atile liquids c did be disse nated
. a suita1. _e fashi in bul LSD is a so' .d.
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total.....21s-esis of �,./
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26 October
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MEMORANDUM FOR: DIRECTOR, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE .
. 1_, i!..rTir.:7'...r.-. C.7!-:::.'�,.i. 1
VIA . : Deputy Director (P11...) li.,'
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S UB.J.E:CT : Potential Large-scale Availability of LSD '
through Newly-discovered Synthesis by4r7
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r. Up to the present time LSD has been available only in small - ���
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amounts. In 1953 it was reported to us through several channels, in- �
eluding a message from. a United States Military Attache; that the .�
riv"...i.As,�........., �tt..,..s.:..7.--�-�.r.:.=�1%,--ez":*"tv4-1-...k...a.,:'��*` had 10 kilograms of this
Ei..w.:--;.ona.rai.z-..r.,:i.,�;c.....4:444.r.:,-.41..-.....-----,
- material for sale. You will recall that we enlisted the services of a..., � .
e,p,resentative orr.:7;r7-v"...7?.:.?-2,77,- who accompanied. llir.,,,,'-'.!lt,;�1:::::40. :. :�
.7;c� . ,-�!.t.�-i..1 ...m�-y..-:�:-..*.rvr:s�ra!4,..b-�-��.,-.1-_-...... -4.1.---e�-�-f-
. b,-.4.0,.;...-...v....a....�,. to discuss the m_atter with th e.4,..�...e..,�..�-..;,......t...,......:,;,--d le tu fled
' out that, according to!..,;44*-'17.-7.t least, ti:;e- amount in their possession
z .. a .. ..Y.1....�
- was in gram rather than kilogram quantities.
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: .2. The availability of materials of this sort derivedfrom ergot .
. .. in such small quantity is probably due in a. large measure td the fact '
� that ergot itself is a natural product produced in limited quantities and
. containiug only a small amount of active materials. .- � -
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. 3. This situab..on is now completely changed
- "t1s-Ize developed a practicable commercial total synthesis of �
- LSD using readily available raw materials. Each step of their synthesis
� has been accomplished in. comparable syntheses of other products in -
� pilot-plant quantities. Therefore, ';'--..=/ rr,�I' eels that in a matter .of .
..
months LSD could be available in tonnage quantities.
. , . � .� � . ... .
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. 4. Hitherto, LSD could not be considered seriously as a candidate
...
Chemical Warfare agent fo.r�overt use. This was due to two factors;
� � � 1 �� .
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. � a) Until.recently only volatile liquids could be diss.eminated.
_ ........._ __... _1- in a suitable fashion in bulk. . LSD is a solid.
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h) LSD could not be obtained in sufficient quantities.
� LSD can now be produced in quantity and recent technical developments
make it possible to disseminate solids in an effective manner.
. . . � . . �
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� 6. - therefore intends to apprise the Chemical Corps and the
. Air Force of this information through previously established scientific
channels. Since the covert use of this material is not affected by .
this new situation, we will advise these components of the Depart-� �
� meat of Defense that any restrictions on dissemination of information ' -
- to the public on LSD should be initiated by them.
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- 7. � The above is furnished for your information only. No action
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5. Most of the significant information currently available on .the
disabling effects of LSD on humans has been obtained from the -�
research activities supported during the past. three years by the
Chemical Division of. under the direction of
cri.54Pis contint:2-n.g its research effort toward developing a capability
for covert use of this material and the availability of LSD in large .�
quantities will not affect our program. However, we feel it is highly%
advisable that certain components of the Department of Defense be �
advised'of both the new syntheses at Lilly and. our data on the effects
of this material on human beings. . � � . � � . ,
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is required.
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