Q&A: What is the Shelf-Life of LSD?

QUESTION:

Hi 'Mary,' 


I'd like to know if lsd can become ineffective,  or harmful,  over time.  Like, what is the shelf life? 


Supposing a person had put it aside,  for a rainy day.  Putting aside being in 1972.  The lsd being really premium (when new) blotter acid,  originally made in sheets about 5 rows by about 30 rows,  on some sort of paper. No change in appearance. 


Filling in some spaces, this is from a fellow who has always loved rainy days. My sister and I used to take some blankets and hot chocolate out to the garden shed, so we could hear it better,  sitting on a work table looking out the windows,  the garden and beyond that some fields. 


Thanks for your work on this corner of the truth.

---Anonymous


ANSWER:

High there, Anonymous.  You sound like an awesome trip buddy.  Mary also thinks rainy days are the bees knees, right up there with meteor showers and tropical sunsets.  Now onto your query... 

To sum it up, there is no set shelf-life for LSD.  Its staying power depends on the original quality of the drug and the method in which it is stored.  According to Erowid.org, blotter acid can last for many years when kept in a dark, airtight container in a cool and dry location. 

Heat, light, air and moisture are the biggest enemies of LSD potency, so you'll want to keep it out of sunny windows and other hot spots.  Acid degrades gradually at room temperature, so cold environments like the fridge or freezer are best for long-term storage.  To prevent condensation, allow frozen 'cid to thaw at room temperature before opening the container.

A dark glass bottle with a tight lid is ideal for preserving LSD.  Foil and plastic--though not usually airtight--are suitable for short-term storage of three to six months.  While aging does not create harmful compounds in LSD, decades-old Lucy like that mentioned in your post is likely to be significantly weaker than when it was manufactured in the '70s.

Hope that sheds some light on your question.  (But not TOO much light....or heat.)

Your Loquacious Leader in Lucy-Laced Literature,

Mary Microgram



References--

Erowid.org:

http://www.erowid.org/ask/ask.php?ID=82