A $1 LSD booklet from 1967 anticipated much of today’s psychedelic safety advice, study suggests

Sixty years after a $1 underground manual taught readers how to prevent bad LSD trips, modern psychedelic users and facilitators continue to follow nearly all of the practical safety tips outlined in Lisa Bieberman's 1967 booklet. A new study published in Psychedelics found that experienced users agreed with 18 out of 19 of Bieberman's safety recommendations, indicating that much of today's harm reduction advice originated from grassroots literature decades before modern clinical guidelines.

Psychedelics refer to mind-altering substances like psilocybin and LSD, which produce shifts in perception, emotion, and thought. Harm reduction strategies aim to mitigate the psychological and physical risks associated with these drugs, rather than promoting abstinence. These strategies include preparing a calm environment, ensuring emotional support, and taking sensible precautions during a session.

As clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy gain traction, there has been a surge in general population use, often outside of supervised medical settings. While classic psychedelics carry low risks compared to many legal and pharmaceutical drugs, unsupervised use can lead to acute panic, paranoia, confusion, and in rare cases, cardiovascular strain or severe psychiatric episodes.

Persistent anxiety and fear were the most common post-trip challenges in a previous study, reported by 67% of participants. Additionally, taking substances without a guide was linked to a broader range of lasting problems. Despite the growing interest in psychedelic therapy, the majority of users now take psychedelics outside of regulated environments. Researchers are working to reduce risks associated with off-regulated psychedelic use.