The 60's Drug Culture and Intelligence

[Peter Lemkin]

There is the book Acid Dreams by Martin Lee. There is no doubt that the CIA started the idea of spreading LSD and a few other mind-altering substances around publicly, if secretly. At the same time we know they were actively testing the drugs for their potential as a weapon an in their interrogation programs as a kind of 'truth serum' and for other purposes. I think one of their aims was to test on a population for general effects and specific effects of minor changes to the formulation. We all remember 'bad batches' of acid and they were generally localized to a city for a short period of time. Perhaps they were adding another chemical and then testing the effects and noting this down. They burned most of their files on MK/ULTRA as was admitted in congressional testimony. I agree with Dawn that whatever they were trying to do backfired in the main and long run on them - as these substances generally produce free thinking and free thinkers less inclined to be subjected to authority. They also allow one to see reality in a new light that further breaks the bonds of the usual slavery to authority and orthodoxy, etc. I know it did to me. While I don't take it anymore - the effects in this regard remain. While a small minority hated the experience, most reveled in the New Worlds it opened up. I'd also mention the many books/lectures by Terrence McKenna and his brother Denis. Tim Leary was well known to have had intelligence connections and close friends who were intelligence agents. The murder by the CIA of one of its own, Olson, who changed too much [became too worried about the morality of the things CIA was doing and had done] after being slipped some LSD in his scotch is described in a very good book. Ken Keasy, as so many others, started his writing/art after being a guinea pig in a CIA LSD program. One could go on. The CIA were the biggest dealers at the top level of mind-altering substances for many decades...but they destroyed their notes, or so we are told.

Lastly, I think it very likely that Mary P. Meyers was enamored of LSD and introduced JFK to it...and that this further terrified the CIA and they added that to the list of reasons to murder him - it far being the only reason on their list.