1027 1 December 1953 MEMORAI 'DUM FOR Inspector General Use of LSD SUBJECT 1 Pursuant to your reriucst Dr Willis Gibbons Chief TSS was contacted on the eveninJ of 30 November 1953 _o_ncernini points hercin i fter noted 2 Dr Gibbons has_impounded all LSD material in CIA Ilcadquarters in a safe adjacent to his desk No one c lse has the combination to this safe the material was so impoundc 1 on 2D November 1953 - 3 Dr Gib ons stated th i t he is -toµpin 1ny 'LSD tests which may ha·ve l iee1_1 instituted 01· contemplated ur ' Jer CI tuspiccs A cable will oe sent to the field on 1 December 1953 to this effect 4 Only two 2 field stations l Ianila and Atsu i have LSD material There is none in Gcrmnny c1lthou1h l h- William II 1rvey recently expressod interest in the subject A cable to the field on 1 December 18 3 ' ill instruct the fidd is to non-m c and request data as to how much is on hand and who has custoc 1y and access 5 CIA has furnished a limited quantity of LSD to Mr George White Chief of New York District Narcotics Division Trc-asury Department Dr Gibbons c ocs not nm· know the exact amount in Mr White's possession White is fully cleared according to Dr Gibbons 6 In summary LSD material over which CIA has or had distribt tivc responsibility is located in four pilnccs a Dr Gibbons' safe b hrnila c Atsuii and d fo t in possession of George White Exact amounts in each location arc not yet available 7 There are several grants in aid u its and individuals in the United States doin research with LSD N «mc of these rc ceived A '1 DECLASSIFIED ON 24 JU t- Y 1975 BY AUTHORlTY OF THE '- 11 DCI · · ii 1028 J S- -· -J i i'•· y' •_ i- · • • r •J • • 1 l - 2 - material from CIA some know of the· CIA interest and furnish reports to CIA Only volunteers are used While some of the work is clone with knov lcc ie of CIA interest it docs not appear to be done uncicr the auspices of CIA 8 Dr Gibbons said there is very little or no correspondence either internal or external on the subject but that he would collect such as existed for the Inspector General 9 Dr Gibbons was also asked to collect and have carried to the Inspector General all re Jorts on the use ancJ effects of LSD He thou ht by this c' cfinition he • vould have a cirawer full of p pcrs 10 Dr Gibbons · as askec to prepa -e a list of known clinical grants in aid ur its and indivicuals in this country en aged in LSD research It appears that Dr Abramson ha s experimented wit l this 9rug 11 Dr Gibbons was not clear as to the mechanics of CIA acquisition of LSD but saiC Jc would c t the ans· ers The material is not under Fc pral U S Go ·crnmcn al control to the best of his kno• ·1lcc c It is an e Jc -rimental ciru and as such is not allo· ved to be sol in this country l Iost LSD 0 Jt3in d by CIA comes from the Eli Lilly Company v ith head cffic-cs in Inc ianapolis Indian i Dr Gibbons thou ht some mi ht have been obtained frcrr other parties but he · ras not certain The Eli Lilly Cor 1pany apµarcntly ma es a ift of it to CIA Dr Gih Jons was not c ertnin whether the comp ny brou bt it here to a cut-out arran emcnt or · vhethc - it is picked up in Indianapolis The rnannc1· oi receipting for the material is not clear 12 Answers to the questions asked by the Inspector General which are not given by the above re bcini obtained by Dr Gibbons and will be furnishcc as soon as he is able to get them to this Staff Chief• Juspcction and Review Distribution Orig 1 addressee 1 l R Subject file