Drugs for medical purposes: In the US, this has long been normal. Here many people are given drugs for pain therapy. In most cases, this is marijuana. In Switzerland, a study is currently being conducted in which students take LSD.
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Drugs are bad. Not always, at least that's what the medicine is all about. Grass for pain, party drugs for depression. In many parts of society, drugs are the last resort for many patients after a long ordeal.
Drugs in the name of science
The University Hospital in Basel is one of the leading clinics in drug research. Here is one of the most progressive: Nowhere in the world do people get LSD for research purposes as often as here. For about two years, the effect of LSD on the brain has been studied here.
Matthias Liechti, clinical pharmacologist and head of the research group at the University Hospital Basel explains: "There is a lack of basic data. As a drug specialist, I'm interested in how psychoactive substances pharmacologically affect humans and how they work in the brain. "
Physically healthy
Who wants to take the LSD legally and in the name of science, must be physically healthy and be at least 25 years old. This is to ensure that the personality is already established. However, the subjects of the study do not live up to their intoxication at a party, but in a magnetic resonance tomograph.
For a long time there has been in science the approach that LSD could help against depression. "The use of psychoactive substances in combination with psychotherapy could be an alternative to traditional medications, " said Liechti.
Also with the alcohol addiction already successes could be achieved with LSD. Just one dose could affect the self-image of the alcoholic so that the subject remained permanently dry.
Nevertheless, the medical therapy with LSD is still controversial . Fighting health problems with drugs has been criticized by many scientists and society. However, the next basic study at the University Clinic Basel is already in the planning stage.
