The Walrus - Music With Big Fuckin' Teeth!

04/30/2008

The Father of LSD, Albert Hofmann, Takes His Last Trip at 102

Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who first determined the psychedelic properties LSD, died at his home in Basel, Switzerland at the age of 102.

While researching the synthetic compound of lysergic acid, Hofmann unknowingly absorbed enough of the drug through his fingertips to pique his curiosity. Three days later on April 19, 1943, Hofmann intentionally ingested 250 milligrams of LSD and experienced the world's first acid trip. The dose kicked in on his bicycle ride home from the lab and the world would never look the same.

Recounting his experience Hofmann noted how "LSD wanted to tell me something. It gave me an inner joy, an open mindedness, a gratefulness, open eyes and an internal sensitivity for the miracles of creation." Like Bill Hicks said, it doesn't hurt to squeegee that third eye every now and then.

The 1967 song "White Bicycle," by the British psychedelic band Tomorrow seems an appropriate tribute in which to honor the legacy of Albert Hofmann. I'm not sure how to end this post without condoning the use of illegal drugs, but it would be a lot of fun to indulge in memorial bicycle trip...for Hofmann's sake of course!