Pubdate: Fri, 28 Oct 2005
Source: Weyburn This Week (CN SN)
Copyright: 2005 Weyburn This Week
Contact:  http://www.weyburnthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2471
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hallucinogens.htm (Hallucinogens)

THE TRUE ORIGIN OF LSD

"To fall in hell or soar angelic, you'll need a pinch of
psychedelic."

Coined in Weyburn by Dr. Humphrey Osmond, psychedelic refers to the
experimental LSD therapy that had been taking place at the Weyburn
Mental Hospital in the 50s and 60s.

"The Psychedelic Pioneers" is a documentary about the history in which
Saskatchewan played a vital role.

The documentary was launched with a screening in Weyburn Tuesday
afternoon, which was attended by residents who used to work at the
hospital, a Weyburn Comprehensive history class and other interested
residents.

The film is the outcome of four years of research into the true
origins of LSD, beyond the psychedelic era of the 60s.

Almost everyone in Saskatchewan has heard rumours of the hospital, and
that includes researcher, field producer Ryan Lockwood.

"I had heard the rumours and the legends. When I was 15, I tried out
for the Red Wings and remember drinking beer at the hospital," he
said. "Then someone told me where we were."

Lockwood said he didn't know the real story, but was fascinated by the
legends he had heard.

Producer Anand Ramayya said the idea of doing a documentary on the
psychedelic era was brought about when Dr. Duncan Blewett contacted
him.

Blewett was a charismatic psychologist who was an early advocate for
the personal use of LSD.

"The government makes $11 million a year in Saskatchewan off liquor,
they could double that off LSD without any trouble at all," Blewett is
recorded saying.

There were several people interested in getting the real story of LSD
therapy out, so Ramayya said they "joined forces."

The psychedelic pioneers consisted of Blewett, Abram Hoffer and
Osmond.

Hoffer, a native Saskatchewan, gained an international reputation as
Canada's preeminent LSD researcher.

Osmond was a freethinking psychiatrist. He became a cult figure in the
world of psychedelics.

"For myself, these experiences have been the most strange, most
awesome and in their own way, amongst the most beautiful in my life,"
he said.

Over a span of 15 years, from when the drug was first administered
until it was banned in 1967, the use of LSD ranged from leading edge
psychiatric research into schizophrenia and alcoholism to volunteer
testing on the general public.

"The Psychedelic Pioneers" reveals pieces of this point in
time.

"The film demonstrated research of doctors Hoffer and Osmond's
biochemical aspect of mental illness," said Erskine Sandiford, who
worked as a psychiatric nurse in the mental health field from 1957 to
1987.

"The research also made Saskatchewan a leader in the mental health
field moving the core of consumers of mental health from the
institution to the community."

Written and directed by Gordon McLennan, "The Psychedelic Pioneers"
was aired on SCN on Oct. 26 and will be aired again in the fall.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake