Timeline of Psychedelic Events

October 1990

“PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story” is Published

Alexander and Ann Shulgin publish "PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story."

March 12, 1990

Mycology Research Center has DEA Registration Revoked for Letting Visitors Keep Psilocybin Mushrooms

A mushroom research center in Florida has its DEA license revoked for providing psilocybin mushrooms to unlicensed people.

March 23, 1988

US Places MDMA on Schedule I

US Drug Enforcement Agency places MDMA on Schedule I.

June 29, 1987

Study Finds the 5-HT2 Receptor is Important for the Hallucinogenic Effect of LSD

Researchers find 5-HT2 receptor subtypes in the brain are an important component of the hallucinatory action of LSD and other chemically similar hallucinogens.

1986

Rick Doblin Founds MAPS

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies is founded.

August 15, 1985

Kansas Court Rules Mushrooms are ‘Containers’ for Psilocybin if the Defendant Knows the Mushrooms Contain Psilocybin

Kansas Court of Appeals rules that mushroom are containers for psilocybin if the defendant knows they contain psilocybin.

February 12, 1985

Lotsof Awarded Patent for Using Ibogaine to Treat Addiction

Howard Lotsof is awarded a US patent for "Rapid method for interrupting the narcotic addiction syndrome."

1985

Ohio Court Rules Indictment Must Use Psilocybin Chemical Name Not Just Genus Species Name

Ohio Court of Appeals says that indictments must specify the chemical psilocybin, not just the scientific name of the mushroom.

April 9, 1984

Washington Court Rules Florida v. Fiske Does Not Apply Because Mushrooms Can Be ‘Containers’ for Psilocybin

The Washington State Court of Appeals rules that mushrooms are "containers" of psilocybin, contrary to the ruling of the court in Florida v Fiske.

1984

Mexico Prohibits Psilocybin and Psilocin

Mexican law prohibits psilocin and psilocybin.

1984

“Bufo Alvarius: the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert” is Published

Albert Most (aka Ken Nelson) describes how to collect and smoke the venom of Bufo alvarius.

May 1982

Study Finds Levels of Psilocybin and Psilocin in Mushrooms Varies Based on Growing Conditions

Study finds the levels of psilocybin and psilocin in Psilocybe cubensis grown under controlled conditions increase with repeated harvests of the fruiting bodies and are predictable compared to samples from uncontrolled outside sources.

May 1982

Scientists Find Varying Levels of Psilocybin and Psilocin in 20 Species of Wild Mushrooms

Researchers find the total psilocybin and psilocin levels in 20 species hallucinogenic mushrooms from the Pacific Northwest US to range from 0.1% to nearly 2.0% by dry weight.

1982

Illinois Court Rules Mushrooms are ‘Containers’ for Psilocybin

The Illinois Appellate Court rules that living mushrooms can be considered containers for psilocybin.

1979

Chemists Synthesize Baeocystin From 2-Methyl-2-Nitrophenol

Researchers synthesize baeocystin from 2-methyl-2-nitrophenol.

1979

Hofmann’s “LSD: My Problem Child” is Published

Reflections on Sacred Drugs, Mysticism and Science

December 21, 1978

Florida Court Rules Psilocybin Mushrooms Are Not a ‘Container’ for Psilocybin Based on How the Law is Written

Florida Supreme Court rules psilocybin mushrooms are not illegal because they can't be considered a "container" for psilocybin based on how the law is written.

November 1977

Researchers Find Baeocystin in Mushrooms From US, Canada, Mexico, and Peru

Researchers find baeocystin in three of 10 species of mushrooms from the US, Canada, Mexico, and Peru.

October 27, 1977

- October 30, 1977

Second International Conference on Psychotropic Fungi is Held

Second International Conference on Hallucinogenic Mushrooms

October 20, 1976

- October 31, 1976

First International Conference on Psychotropic Fungi is Held

International Conference on Psychotropic Fungi held in Millersylvania, WA.

1976

“Psilocybin Magic Mushroom Growers Guide” is Published

Terrence and Dennis McKenna publish the book using the names O.T. Oss and O.N. Oeric.

June 17, 1971

President Nixon Says Drug Abuse is Public Enemy #1

US President Richard Nixon calls drug abuse in America "public enemy number one."

February 21, 1971

United Nations Lists Psilocybin on Schedule I

United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances lists psilocybin as a Schedule I drug.

1971

UK Enacts the Misuse of Drugs Act

The UK enacts the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, categorizing psilocybin as a Class A drug.

October 27, 1970

CSA Places Hallucinogens on Schedule I

The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act is passed by the US Congress and psilocybin, LSD, and other hallucinogens are placed on Schedule I.

October 24, 1968

US Bans Posession of Psilocybin and Psilocin

Staggers-Dodd bill is passed, banning the possession of psilocybin and psilocin in the US.

October 1, 1968

Researchers Isolate Baeocystin and Norbaeocystin from Psilocybe baeocystis

Researchers isolate and characterize baeocystin and norbaeocystin from Psilocybe baeocystis.

July 14, 1966

US FDA Bans Testing With Psilocybin and Psilocin

FDA bans the use of psilocybin and psilocin in human, in vitro, and animal testing.

June 1, 1966

France Classifies Psilocybin Mushroom as a Narcotic

France lists psilocybin mushrooms as a narcotic.

May 30, 1966

California is the First State to Outlaw LSD

California outlaws LSD.

May 28, 1963

Andrew Weil and Joseph Russin Criticize the Work of Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert

Andrew Weil and Joseph Russin write a scathing critique in the Harvard Crimson about Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert's work.

1963

Leary and Alpert Fired from Harvard University

Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert are fired from Harvard.

June 1962

Study Finds Psilocybin and Psilocin Have Serotonin-Like and Anti-Serotonin Activity

Researchers find psilocybin and psilocin sometimes act like serotonin but act against it at higher concentrations.

May 1962

US NIMH Finds LSD, Psilocybin, and Mescaline Have Similar Qualitative Effects

Study finds psilocybin and psilocin cause qualitative effects similar to mescaline, but that mescaline is longer lasting and less potent. The data also showed psilocin is more potent and shorter acting than psilocin.

April 1962

Study Finds Psilocybin Effects How Spiders Build Webs

Researchers study the effects mescaline and psilocybin have on spider web building.

April 1962

Good Friday Experiment Begins

The Good Friday Experiment finds that psilocybin can catalyze spiritual experiences in religious people.

October 1960

Timothy Leary First Tries Pure Psilocybin

Timothy Leary first tries pure psilocybin.

August 1960

Timothy Leary First Tries Psychedelic Mushrooms

Timothy Leary first ingests psilocybin-containing mushrooms in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

1960

Henri Michaux Publishes First-Hand Account of His Psilocybin Experience

Henri Michaux publishes a first-hand account of his experience taking "psilocybin prepared from Psilocybe mexicana."

1960

Sandoz Parmaceutical Begins Selling Psilocybin Under the Trade Name Indocybin

Sandoz Pharmaceutical starts manufacturing psilocybin in pill form.

1960

Harvard Psilocybin Project Begins

The Harvard Psilocybin Project is founded by Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert.

1959

Albert Hofmann Publishes the First Synthesis of Psilocybin

Albert Hofmann publishes the first synthesis of psilocybin.

January 1959

US NIMH Studies Effects of Psilocybin on Black Inmates

Researchers at the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) find psilocybin effects begin 10-15 minutes after oral ingestion and produce effects similar to LSD.

1958

Albert Hofmann Isolates Psilocybin and Psilocin

Albert Hofmann isolates psilocybin and psilocin from mushrooms.

1958

French Researchers Isolate Psilocybin and Psilocin From Spores

French researchers obtained crystalline psilocybin and very small amounts of psilocin from both the spores and sclerotia of Psilocybe mexicana.

June 10, 1957

R. Gordon Wasson Coins the Term “Magic Mushroom”

This is the first popular media coverage of the existence of magic mushrooms.

1957

Humphry Osmond Creates the Term “Psychedelic”

Psychiatrist and researcher Humphry Osmond coined the word "psychedelic."

December 2, 1955

BBC Reporter Christopher Mayhew Films His Mescaline Experience

BBC reporter Christopher Mayhew films his experience after taking mescaline.

June 29, 1955

Gordon and Valentina Wasson Participate in Mushroom Velada Led By Maria Sabina

R. Gordon Wasson, his wife Valentina, and photographer Allan Richardson participate in a mushroom velada led by Maria Sabina.

1954

Aldous Huxley’s “The Doors of Perception” is Published

Aldous Huxley's "The Doors of Perception" is Published

1953

CIA Begins Project MKUltra

The CIA starts Project MKUltra using human subjects to develop drugs and administration procedures to be used in interrogations.

1953

Gordon and Valentina Wasson Witness a Mushroom Velada in Mexico

Amateur mycologist Robert Gordon Wasson visits Oaxaca, Mexico and witnesses a mushroom velada.

1952

First Study on LSD for Depression is Published

This study may capture an early observation of the importance of the mystical experience in psychedelic therapy.

1952

Humphry Osmond Begins Treating Alcoholics With LSD

Dr. Osmond treated over 2,000 alcoholic patients from 1954-1960 with a nearly 50% success rate.

1947

Sandoz Laboratories Begins Selling LSD Under Delysid Trade Name

Sandoz Laboratories markets LSD under the trade name Delysid.

April 19, 1943

The First Bicycle Day

Albert Hofmann self-tests LSD and rides his bicycle home, describing the trip as a "horror show."

1939

Teonanactl is First Mentioned in an Academic Journal

Richard Schultes publishes his thesis describing teonanacátl as a psilocybin mushroom.

November 16, 1938

Albert Hofmann First Synthesizes LSD-25

Albert Hofmann synthesizes LSD-25 for the first time while working at Sandoz Laboratories in Switzerland.

1938

Reko and Schultes Collect Psychoactive Mushrooms in Mexico

Richard Schultes and Blas Pablo Reko collect psychoactive mushrooms from Mexico and take them to the herbarium at Harvard University.

1938

Johnson and Weitlaner are the First Modern White People to Witness to Mushroom Healing Ceremony

American anthropologist Jean Basset Johnson and his wife Irmgard Weitlaner become the first "modern" white people to witness a mushroom velada (healing ceremony) in Huautla, Mexico.

1936