User:CarsonKlingman/MKUltra

LSD

In 1943, LSD was created by Dr. Albert Hofmann at the Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland. The early directors of MKUltra became aware of the existence of LSD and sought to use it for "mind-control". In the early 1950s, MKUltra director Sidney Gottlieb arranged for the CIA to buy the entire supply of LSD for $240,000, which in 2024, would be $4,227,079. This LSD supply gave Gottlieb the ability to now fulfill his experiment by spreading LSD to prisons, hospitals, institutions, clinics, and foundations in order to see how citizens would react to the drug without knowing exactly what is happening to themselves.

Experiments on Americans

The CIA sought to experiment on Americans that were in a position where they had no other choice but to be experimented on. American mafia boss, James "Whitey" Bulger, was serving his sentence in Atlanta where he was offered to be apart of a new drug trail in exchange for better prison conditions. Bulger expressed how horrible and traumatic his experience was during the experiment, describes that there was eight other prisoners in a cell, in which all of them were in a constant state of paranoia and panic. Bulger states his experience in that cell, "I saw blood pouring from the walls, and the boys turning into skeletons right before my eyes, and the camera later turned into a dogʼs head. I felt like I was going crazy." Bulger was one of many subjects during the MKUltra experiments that was given the psychedelic drug LSD.

During a hearing done by the Senate Health Subcommittee, a testimony by the Deputy Director of the CIA stated that over 30 institutions and universities were involved in the experimentation program of testing drugs on unknowing citizens "at all social levels, high and low, native Americans and foreign." With several of these tests involved the issuing of LSD to unaware subjects in social situations.

The Army was subject to the testing of LSD which occurred in three phases. The first phase included over 1,000 American soldiers who willingly volunteered for testing of chemical warfare experiments. Phase two had 96 volunteers who were induced with LSD in evaluation of the possibility of intelligence uses of the drug. The third phase included Projects THIRD CHANCE and DERBY HAT which conducted experiments on 16 unwitting nonvolunteer subjects that after receiving LSD were interrogated as a part of operation field tests.

Experiments on Canadians

A recent investigation has uncovered links between MKUltra experiments and the mistreatment of Indigenous children in Canada and the U.S., as well as the use of black prisoners for experimental purposes. A legal action brought by the Mohawk Mothers has brought to light the allegations involving McGill University and the Allan Memorial Institute, where vulnerable populations, including children and prisoners, were reportedly subjected to invasive psychological experiments without consent. These experiments are said to have included the administration of drugs like LSD and subjected participants to extreme psychological stress, aiming to 'depattern' and manipulate their mental states. This case has highlighted the need for a deeper understanding of the ethical breaches associated with MK Ultra and its lasting impact on the individuals and communities involved​.

Aftermath

The legacy of MKUltra extends far beyond its immediate timeline, leaving a lasting impact on society and shaping public perception of government experimentation. The project's revelation in the 1970s led to widespread public outrage and fueled skepticism towards government secrecy and the ethics of scientific research. Despite subsequent congressional hearings and apologies from government officials, distrust in institutions persists, with many viewing MKUltra as a symbol of unchecked government power and the potential for abuse in the name of national security. Moreover, the trauma inflicted upon the unwitting subjects of MKUltra experiments continues to pulsates through generations, highlighting the need for a strictness of ethical guidelines and oversight in scientific research. The project's dark history serves as a cautionary tale, reminding society of the dangers of sacrificing individual rights and dignity in pursuit of scientific advancement.

Other related projects

In January 1957, the CIA started a subproject of MKUltra in effort to broaden their scientific research. "Subproject 68", conducted at the Allan Memorial Institute in Montreal under the direction of psychiatrist Dr. Donald Ewen Cameron, represents one of the most infamous and ethically controversial endeavors within the MKUltra program. This subproject aimed to explore innovative techniques for manipulating and controlling human behavior, particularly through the methods of "psychic driving" and "depatterning". Psychic driving involved subjecting patients to continuous playback of recorded messages, often with themes of self-improvement or identity reinforcement, while they were under the influence of powerful psychoactive substances such as LSD or barbiturates.