Dr. Sheil Salasnek addressed a crowd of over 130 people at the LEMAR Legalize Marijuana meeting Feb. 2nd in Lower DeRoy Auditorium.
The paranoia from the recent bust was evident as everyone originally sat in the back of the room, avoiding the (bugged for what?) front rows of seats. However, after Joe Mulky urged everyone to move UP, and the doctor started talking, the meeting turned to a relaxed and comprehensive discussion of LSD and the psychedelics.
Dr.- Salasnek, after throwing out his professional credentials, mixed medical facts and honest humor in order to support the use of LSD. He had the audience waiting for him to hurry up and continue until the end, which was met with solid applause.
It was Leary’s idea to prove LSD a mind medicine, and his choice to try to be the wisest man in the world that paved the way for the psychedelic revolution. Now, only two social camps believe in LSD, the acid heads and the police, but the reactions from both sides have caused the recent uproar of publicity.
The government’s now existing “red tape clamp on psychedelics” makes it virtually impossible for a researcher in the medical profession to get his material anywhere else but on the Black Market. Before the clamp, there was much positive research being done. Dr. Salasnek mentioned that people should read medical reports, not the Sunday supplement, for accurate psychedelic information.
The doctor was factual, direct, and unbelievably organized. He casually discounted with a smile the problem of speaking to ‘acid heads’ about acid.
Salasnek believes more important than the medical uses are the valuable subjective experiences by the “normal” taker. Yet caution should be taken, LSD is not without danger (what isn’t?) environmental conditions should be controlled as much as possible. The more people you take it with, the less predictable it will be. Have a guide with you who understands and is knowledgeable about LSD; and more important, someone you can trust. Don’t take it because your friends are taking it.
You only get out of it what you put into it. So, if you go downtown during rush hour on acid, its your own fault if things get a little hectic.
“Siamese fighting fish stopped fighting when they were given LSD. So might everyone,” Dr. Salasnek concluded.