Los Angeles LSD Defense Lawyer

LA LSD possession defense attorney David M. Dudley, a state and federal criminal defense lawyer, has been helping clients accused of drug crimes for decades, getting their sentences reduced or even dismissed. His degree of experience handling federal drug crimes is almost unparalleled, making him one of the top drug crimes lawyers in the nation. If you or someone you love is facing prosecution for use, possession, distribution or manufacture of LSD you will need an aggressive and highly skilled criminal defense attorney. To schedule a consultation with Mr. Dudley, contact our office today.

What is LSD?

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a powerful synthetic hallucinogen. It is usually made in the laboratory from chemicals. The basic chemical structure of LSD resembles ergot (a fungus that grows on rye and other grains) alkaloids and other drugs, including:

• Bufotenine
• Psilocybin
• Harmine
• Ibogaine

All of these drugs block the action of serotonin (a transmitter between nerve cells) in the brain. LSD is a Schedule I drug, meaning it is illegal to make, buy, possess or distribute without a license from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

LSD Penalties for Sale and Possession are Severe

As a Schedule I drug, penalties for a first offense of trafficking of between one and nine grams of LSD range from not less than five years or more than 40 years in prison. If the drug buyer dies or suffers serious bodily injury, the penalty is not less than 20 years or more than life in prison and a fine of not more than $5 million if the trafficker is an individual. If the trafficker is more than one individual, the penalty is $25 million.

For doses above nine grams, a first offense results in not less than 10 years and not more than life in prison. Second offenses bring much higher fines and harsher penalties. At the extreme high end, a second or more prior offense are punished by life imprisonment and a fine of not more than $20 million if the offender is an individual. If more than one individual is involved the penalty rises to $75 million.

What Are the Street Names and Forms of LSD

LSD street names are acid, blotter acid, window, pane, dots, and mellow yellow. It is manufactured in crystalline form and mixed with other substances that act as carriers for the drug. It also can be diluted as a liquid and be made into forms to be eaten. It is odorless, colorless and tastes slightly bitter. Forms produced for ingestion include:

• Tablets, often small tablets called microdots
• On sugar cubes
• In thin squares of gelatin, usually called windowpanes
• On blotter paper, sheets of absorbent paper soaked in LSD (the sheets are covered with colorful designs and are perforated into one-quarter inch squares, just enough for a single dose)

What are the Effects of LSD

LSD produces grossly abnormal behavior and experiences that can resemble psychotic diseases such as schizophrenia. Its effects usually are felt between 30 and 90 minutes after it is taken. These include:

• Feeling several different emotions at the same time
• Rapid swings from one emotion to another
• Delusions
• Visual hallucinations
• Impaired perception of time and depth
• Distorted perception of the shapes and sizes of objects, movements, color sound, touch and one’s own body image

These effects can be frightening and result in panic. Some users find they have:

• Severe, terrifying thoughts and feelings
• Fear of losing control
• Fear of insanity
• Fear of death
• The sensation that they are hearing colors and seeing sounds

Such thoughts and feelings, if they result from a high dose of LSD, can last between 10 and 12 hours. After an LSD experience, the abuser can suffer from anxiety or depression and have flashbacks days or months after the last dose. Long-lasting psychoses resembling schizophrenia and severe depression can result from LSD abuse.

Physically, the drug leads to:

• Dilated pupils
• Increased body temperature, sweating, blood sugar, heart rate, and blood pressure
• Nausea and appetite loss
• Sleeplessness
• Dry mouth
• Tremors

Users develop a tolerance to LSD, meaning that to achieve the same hallucinatory effects they must increases their doses with continued use.

Contact a Los Angeles LSD Possession Lawyer With Proven Experience

If you have been arrested for or are under the suspicion of a drug crime involving LSD, you’re facing severe penalties that can affect the rest of your life. You will need an experienced, highly skilled and extremely aggressive criminal defense attorney fighting on your behalf. Mr. Dudley’s law practice has taken him across the country, representing individuals facing major criminal allegations in 36 different states. He’s handled matters in both the trial and appellate courts, state and federal, and is admitted to the United States Supreme Court and seven federal circuit courts of appeal. Possession of LSD is a very serious crime, and you’ll need a criminal defense lawyer experienced in this area of the law at your side.

For your best chances at getting your charges reduced or dismissed, contact our Los Angeles LSD possession lawyers today.