Last Updated: August 1, 2022

Under no circumstances, or in any time or place, is it okay to give LSD (or any other drug) to friends who are not expecting it — in other words, to anyone who has not consented and mentally prepared for such an experience. Psychedelics have powerful and profound effects on people, and addressing “set and setting” is of the utmost importance when consuming hallucinogenic substances. This means that a person needs to (1) have willingly consented to the experience and (2) be in a positive mental state in a comfortable environment before consuming psychedelics; otherwise, there is a higher likelihood that a person will have a difficult experience (“bad trip”).

Having a difficult experience, or even just an unexpected experience, can negatively impact an individual’s outlook on psychedelics for the rest of their lives. It can also lead to unintended and long-term mental issues. This risk is especially high for people with a personal or family history of mental illness, something that should be heavily researched and well understood before anyone engages in drug use. (Individuals with a personal or family history of mood or psychotic disorders may be at particular risk of having their symptoms exacerbated by an intense psychedelic experience.)

Even if you have had positive experiences on substances such as LSD, it is never acceptable to push a psychedelic experience on anyone, even your closest friends. Being dosed can be extremely traumatizing and is an enormous breach of trust. Dosing someone as a “gift” is still a violation of consent that can have very serious consequences.

If someone does decide to engage in drug use for whatever reason, it is something they must come to do on their own. Just like consent is absolutely required during intimate interactions, it is never okay to dose someone without first receiving consent. Doing so is a violation of their autonomy and privacy.

Don’t be a jerk. Always receive consent before dosing friends, or anyone else.