After Dark - Bicycle Day!

Send us Fan MailHave you ever heard of Bicycle Day? It's the day that celebrates the discovery of LSD by Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman. In this episode of our podcast, join Simon and Watt as we delve into the story of Albert Hoffman and the profound impact his discovery had on society and culture.We start off by talking about Hoffman's initial discovery of LSD in 1943 and the bicycle ride that followed, which is now celebrated as Bicycle Day. It's amazing to think that a single chemical compound could have such a profound impact on the world, but LSD certainly did.We also touch on the psychedelic movement of the 1960s and its association with LSD, which was being used recreationally by a growing number of people. But despite its popularity, LSD was also becoming increasingly demonized by the government and the media, leading to a widespread backlash against its use.As we discuss the story of LSD, we also touch on the legal and health risks associated with using illegal substances, and the importance of prioritising our own health and safety above all else. We want to be clear that while we acknowledge the historical significance of LSD, we do not condone, condemn or promote the use of illegal substances.That being said, we also recognise that there is growing research into the potential therapeutic benefits of substances like LSD, particularly for those who are neurodivergent or living with mental health conditions. We hope to explore this topic more deeply in future episodes and invite our listeners to share their own stories and experiences with us.Overall, the story of Albert Hoffman and the discovery of LSD is a fascinating and complex one, and we hope that this episode has provided some insight into the impact that this chemical compound has had on our world. Thanks for tuning in to our podcast, and we look forward to continuing the conversation with you in future episodes.As discussed in the show, we have created an anonymous Google form: https://forms.gle/kNDdGxESVGRyXHdm7 We will absolutely respect anonymity and this form will not record any personal or IP data.  Or contact us via Twitter or at our email: [email protected] My sources:“LSD: My Problem Child” Albert Hoffman“How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence” Michael Pollan“Queering Psychedelics” Ed Alex Belser, Clancy Cavnar, Beatriz Labate“Acid dreams : the complete social history of LSD : the CIA, the sixties, and beyond” Martin Lee“LSD: The Consciousness Expanding Drug” David Solomon Speech by Albert Hoffman, 1996 Worlds of Consciousness Conference in Heidelberg, Germany (https://maps.org/news-letters/v06n3/06346hof.html)“LSD before Leary: Sidney Cohen's Critique of 1950s Psychedelic Drug Research” Steven Novak (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9154737/) “Three years experience with the use of LSD as an aid to psychotherapy” Gordon Johnsen (As ever we thank you, our loyal listeners for sticking with us. We would love to hear from you so look for our contact details in your podcast app or via our website.