Alexander Shulgin is known for rediscovering Ecstasy in 1976, but what is most fascinating about the 80 year old chemist is his prolific exploration of psychedelic variants, as documented in his book, Phenethylamines I Have Known And Loved , an Anarchist’s Cookbook of recipies each sampled by the doctor himself and annotated in Huxlean first person narratives.

I find it suspicious that we live in a society that prescribes certain chemicals for treating depression, or anything else, but classifies anything that may have desirable or psychologicaly interesting effects as a schedule I drug. Since the Analog Act of 1986, any remotely psychedelic variant is instantly banned, at the descretion of the law, the instant it comes into existence, despite any value it may have. Meanwhile, kids die on viagra, end up decapitating one another as a result of abusing alcohol, and off themselves due to their prescribed anti-depressant medication. Clearly ANY chemical can be dangerous. So why the prejudice on psychedelics? If it can be useful in therapy, which many have been proven to be, then why not? If you ask me, all this may have something to do with drug companies missing out on profits on chemicals that can be synthesized in home labs.

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