LSD
| Drug | Legal imit |
|---|---|
| LSD | 1ug/L |
LSD/Lysergic Acid Diethylamide
LSD is a semi-synthetic hallucinogen which is derived from alkaloid acid lysergic. The acid is found in ergot, a fungus which grown on grains such as rye. LSD was first syntesised from lysergic acid in 1938 in Switzerland*1
It is commonly know as acid, tabs, pellets, trips or by the names of the design on the tabs such as Smiley.
How LSD works in your body
A user does not have to take much for the desired effect 25-150ug is usually adequate. It can be found in the form tablets (microdots) or impregnated blotting paper, sugar cubes or gelatine squares
It is usually taken orally and its effects start within an hour and last up to 12 hours, peaking at about 4 hours. It acts on both the central and the autonomic nervous systems. It has a half-life of 3 – 5hours.
Acute Intoxication
LSD use can produce the following symptoms:-
- Increased blood pressure
- Raise body temperature
- Severe headaches
- Dilation of pupils
- Increased heart rate
- Tremors
- Nausea
- Poor muscle co-ordination
- Increased risk of miscarriage
Psychological Impact
LSD is know as one of the most potent “mind-expanding” drugs. It can produce both “good” and “bad trips”. It produces the following symptoms:
Visual hallucinations and distortion
Altered perception of time
Rapid Mood Change
Paranoia
Violent swings
Regular use does not usually result in addiction because tolerance levels develop quickly. But there can often by prolonged psychotic and anxiety reactions. Flashbacks can occur for weeks or months after use.
LSD and Driving
The use of LSD is not compatible with driving due to its severe psychomotor, cognitive and residual effects. It is no longer a drug of choice in the UK so there is limited data about its impacts
Therefore even a small level of LSD is not conducive to safe driving due to the out of world experience with hallucinations, delusional behaviour and visual distortions that it can cause.
The legal limit for LSD
LSD is a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and is illegal to possess. The legal limit driving is 1ug/L the lowest possible limit because it is considered so dangerous for drivers.
What to look for?
There a number of tell tale signs in the analytical data pack (ADP) which would indicate the result are unreliable.
- Has the laboratory deducted the allowance from the result – this is an allowed margin of error. If not then your result may be below the specified level.
- Does the laboratory have the proper accreditation which is the validation process which examines their processes to ensure their accuracy in analysing blood samples.
- Poor labelling and lack of continuity. All vials must be labelled correctly and followed through the analysis sometimes this gets muddled up and the prosecution cannot prove that the sample tested was the defendants.
- Has the data input been accurate if there is a “data anomaly” it will usually lead to inaccurate results.
- Failings in the quality control sample – each batch of samples must have a control sample to be measured against if this is contaminated in any way the whole batch would usually need to be re-tested but usually isn’t. Such contamination would lead to higher results and render the results unreliable.
- Have they calibrated the results and equipment accurately. The laboratories must test and calibrate their analytical instruments daily. These results must fall within a recommendation range or standard deviation. These are resulted in the form of graphs on the ADP which can be examined and the deviation checked to see if they fall within the recommended range if not the batch should have been re-tested because the results will not be reliable. Laboratories seldom re-test because it is not profitable to do so their margins for profit are so small.
Procedural Issues
The prosecution must follows the procedure to the letter, there include:
- Compliance with S15 Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 which specifies how blood samples should be taken and what should be done with them after.
https://roadtrafficdefencelawyers.co.uk/2023/03/14/the-importance-of-keeping-your-blood-sample-taken-by-the-police/ - Lack of continuity of the sample. The police must be able to show that the sample tested was your sample and failure to label correctly can break the continuity and offer a defence.
- Failure to disclose evidence which will assist the us as the defence or undermine the prosecution case. The prosecution often fail to serve evidence within a specified period of time and this can lead to arguments to exclude vital prosecution evidence such as the expert report.
Post Driving Consumption
Many drivers say that when the police are indicating them to stop driving, they panic because they are in possession of some LSD so having stopped their vehicle and before the police reach them they eat the LSD tablet(s).
This is a defence but we would have to prove this on a balance of probabilities. We would have to show that but for the LSD taken you would have been under the limit. If done successfully you would be found not guilty and your case would be dismissed.
The police may have body worn video evidence which will either show that you may have taken LSD or had the time to take LSD. Equally it may also show that it was impossible for you to take the LSD.
You will usually need expert evidence to show that but for the LSD taken after driving you would not have been over the limit.
If you have taken drugs after being stopped then you should tell the police. It makes the argument of post driving consumption more believable.
Special reasons and LSD
Special reasons can be argued where you have unwittingly taken LSD in order to avoid the mandatory minimum 12 months ban.
- Laced drinks - usually you would have get the lacer to give evidence or provide some evidence to show that your drinks were laced. You would also have to produce expert evidence to show that but for the lacing element you would have been under the limit. This is easier to establish if you do not use drugs at all. With LSD you may not be in control when you get into the vehicle but you would present a high risk of danger.
Reference