Submission + - Inventor of LSD dead at age 102
sm62704 writes: "From WikiNews:
The item covers other of the doctor's achievements as well. Dr. Hoffman was not covered in the Slashdot "favorite doctor" poll."Albert Hofmann, a scientist who discovered and created the drug Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in 1938, has died today at the age 102.
StopTheDrugWar.com reports that Hofmann's [sic] died of a heart attack in his house located in Basel, Switzerland.
After discovering LSD, he set it aside for five years, until April 16, 1943, when Hofmann decided to take another look at it. While re-synthesizing the LSD, he accidentally consumed a small sample and serendipitously discovered its powerful effects. Three days later, on April 19, Hofmann deliberately consumed 250 micrograms of LSD before his bicycle ride home.
He is now known as the first person to experience a 'trip' from taking it. Since then, LSD aficionados around the world unofficially proclaimed April 19, 1943 as Bicycle Day. Despite that, Hofmann denounced the illegal use of the drug which became popular in the 1960's. He was also said to be disappointed that further research was not conducted on it at the time.