Newsgroups: alt.drugs,talk.politics.drugs,alt.drugs.chemistry,alt.drugs.psychedelics
Subject: DEA/EPA raid on Shulgins' Lab

The following was sent to me for anonymous posting (glitch with the anonymous
posting software on the part of the person who wrote it) -- this release has
also been approved by sasha...

} On Thursday, October 27, combined forces of the Drug Enforcement 
} Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency executed a detailed 
} administrative inspection on the private laboratory of Dr. Alexander T. 
} Shulgin, in Layfayette, California.  Apparently no charges have yet been 
} filed against Dr. Shulgin, but the intent of the raid was to close down his 
} laboratory.  Dr. Shulgin, a Ph.D. biochemist and psychopharmacology 
} consultant, is internationally-recognized for his expertise in the chemistry 
} and pharmacology of psychedelic agents, and is also widely known for his 
} knowledge and expertise of plants that contain psychoactive products. Known 
} affectionately to his friends as "Sasha", he has been a researcher of 
} psychoactive substances for more than thirty years.  What prompted this 
} raid?  The reasons remain unknown. In 1991, however, he and his wife Ann 
} published their memoirs, in the form of a fictional book titled "PIHKAL" 
} (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved), describing adventures woven around 
} their research with a variety of legal psychedelic substances.  Sasha and 
} Ann also have been outspoken opponents of government intrusion into the 
} personal lives of Americans, and have been advocates of our right to explore 
} our own consciousness.  Clearly, in this day of drug wars, the Shulgins do 
} not send the message that the DEA wants all of us to hear. 
} 
} At the moment, it is not clear what will happen to Sasha and Ann.  The EPA 
} has not come to any decision yet, concerning their laboratory.  Although at 
} the present time the DEA is evidently playing a more passive role, no one 
} can doubt that EPA involvement only came at the prodding of the DEA.  The 
} strategy of both the DEA and EPA may be to dip into the minutae of their 
} regulations to build up a long list of infractions of one sort or another, 
} each of which would then be accompanied by a substantial fine.  One can 
} imagine being cited for hundreds of violations of little-known DEA and EPA 
} rules, each of which typically carry a fine of $5,000 or more.  
} 
} We all anxiously await the outcome of this unfortunate attack on a private 
} citizen who has had a productive research career and who has made 
} significant contributions to our knowledge of drugs and drug effects.  It is 
} clearly a sad day for American liberties and another clear sign of just how 
} much damage the "war on drugs" (the new McCarthyism) is doing to our society.

Newsgroups: alt.drugs,alt.drugs.chemistry,alt.drugs.psychedelics,talk.politics.drugs
Subject: An Update on the Shulgins

Date: Tue, 15 Nov 1994 02:32:48 -0800
From: "Alexander T. Shulgin" <[...]>
To: lamontg@u.washington.edu
Subject: post for alt.drugs

[...]

FOR POSTING ON THE NET

     We want to thank everyone for all the support we have 
received.  At the same time, our attorney, by necessity, has 
placed some reasonable limits on our public communication.  Along 
with strong support, some people have also expressed anger and 
outrage.  We understand those feelings, but we ask each of you to 
be calm and restrained.
     Those who have been advising caution and restraint are 
absolutely right.  It is not in our interests to have sparks 
being thrown off.  It is presently not at all appropriate to 
contact political appointees in Washington or anywhere else.  
Please be patient and do not stir the coals.
     Our situation is this:  A lab inspection is standard 
procedure for any person who has a DEA license.  We have been 
inspected before and may be again.  While the lab was searched, 
our home and private papers were not.
     We did not do anything wrong.  There are complicated 
regulations that control a premises licensed by the DEA to do 
analytical controlled substance work.  The lab went through a 
very thorough inspection.  Even if there might be a finding of 
some technical violations in the lab, it is a civil matter, which 
we feel would be favorably resolved.
     We would like to maintain a quiet peacefulness with the 
authorities.  We have an excellent attorney.  We have confidence 
that he will take all appropriate action that needs to be taken 
at this time.  Please help us keep the peace.
     Sasha still has his DEA license and his lab.  TIHKAL will be 
finished, no matter what happens, and that is more important than 
anything else.
     We will keep everyone informed of all developments.  Thanks 
to all of you, and blessings.