Man Spiked Colleagues’ Drinks With LSD To Dispel Their ‘Negative Energy’

A car rental employee in Arnold, Missouri, spiked his co-workers’ drinks with LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) because they had "negative energy," which he wanted to dispel. Although this incident occurred at a Enterprise Rent-A-Car store March 14, it was only recently reported by local outlets.

Arnold Police Lt. Clinton Wooldridge said two men working at the rental store were transported to an urgent care center, before being shifted to the Mercy Hospital South, after they started complaining they were feeling dizzy and shaky for some unknown reason, Fox 40 reported.

A 19-year-old employee was arrested last week after he admitted to lacing two of his co-worker’s water bottles and a third’s coffee cup with the hallucinogenic drug because he wanted to mellow down the environment of his workplace. Instead, he ended up making two of his colleagues sick.

Although the unidentified teenager was arrested by police following his confession, charges against him would be filed only after a complete lab test has been performed on the substances found in the drinks consumed by the victims. If the tests come back positive for LSD, the 19-year-old could be looking at charges that include possession of a controlled substance, along with second-degree assault.

The Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group, which investigates drug-related crimes, confirmed the reaction of the workers who were rushed to the hospital was consistent with someone having consumed LSD. “You’re going to have an increased heart rate, temperature, higher blood pressure. It’s been described as causing the shakes or tremors,” said Sgt. Tony Dennis with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. The workers were reportedly feeling alright after the effects of the drug wore off.

Dennis added that although the popularity of LSD has diminished – after a brief resurgence in the 1990s and 2000s – it was still readily available in the market. “Typically it comes in a clear, odorless liquid. You can also just use that liquid form to ingest it orally with drops under the tongue or you can put some drops in somebody's drink,” he said.

According to Cleveland Clinic, “LSD is often added to absorbent paper, which is then divided into decorated pieces, each equivalent to one dose. The experiences, often referred to as "trips," are long; typically, they end after about 12 hours.” Some of the drug’s effects include hallucinations, a reduced perception of reality, impulsive behavior, rapid swings in emotion, increased heart rate and flashbacks (which may happen without warning and even years after using the drug).

In extreme cases, people who take large doses of the drug start having an altered sense of time and self. At times, there is a "cross over" of different senses. For example, a user may start hearing colors and seeing sounds. LSD users, unable to explain the mental changes, may experience panic attacks, feelings of despair, fear of losing control, or fear of insanity and death.