So long, Dr. Hofmann

Albert Hofmann, best known as the discoverer of LSD (d-lysergic acid diethyilamide), has died at the venerable age of 102, apparently of a heart attack. His wife Anita preceded him by few months.

Two years ago his 100th birthday was celebrated at global level with the Basel LSD International Symposium, where he was one of the lecturers and showed to be in great shape.

Hofmann, first sythetized LSD in 1938, but in that occasion it was set aside with just minimal testing. He synthetized again the drug on April 16th 1943, accidentally ingesting a minimal ammount and being therefore the first human ever to experience the drug, even if mildly. Three days, on April 19th, later he decided to test it again on himself, taking 250 micrograms of the substance. That day he really had a good trip, while riding back home on his bycicle and the day has passed to history as Bycicle Day.

In 1958 he sythetized psylocibine and psilocine, the active components of "magic mushrooms" (genus Psylocibe). He also studied olioluqui, finding chemicals related to LSD in it.

Enlightened by his psychodelic experiences, he became a resolute defendant of these substances, specially his "problem child", LSD, the only known drug able to act in such ridiculously tiny ammounts. He was very upset about the demonization and total ilegallization of this substance that he (and many others) considered a blessing, a gate to the other half of reality, a hidden half that the reactionary policial forces of the world want to banish or keep hidden - because they intuitively know how much at risk is their socio-psychological control, the illness they feed on like the rotten parasites they are.

We will miss you, Albert, but over anything we will always be in debt with you for your fascinating discoveries, for your scientifical breach of the doors of perception. People like you are who make Humankind and Life really worth it.

Enjoy!

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Other obituaries/biographies:
- Hofmann Foundation
- Erowid: Albert Hofmann
- International LSD Symposium 2006: Albert Hofmann