I heard perhaps urban folklore from an old-timer former journalist that the LSD trade was monopolized by a single criminal syndicate in the 50's. There are still some haunts with local regulars not overrun with suits, squares, or tourists.
Not only was it not illegal, but at that time the patent holder (Sandoz labs) was giving it away for free to basically any researchers who wrote in asking for a sample, in order to try and find a way they could monetize it.
We have an idea, from our own vantage, that if it is not illegal capitalism will inevitably try to monetize - but what if that's not true. What if every company decides, no we don't want to be associated with that business.
So then somebody who does want to be associated starts doing it, but what if they want to be associated because they've done the drug. Maybe they want to make the drug, have access to the drug, sell the drug, but not do all those other business bits like keep track of monetary flow and pay taxes.
It's not illegal to sell the drug, but they are essentially incapable of selling the drug legally.
Not saying that's the case - just saying it's not impossible in the uptight 50s for it to have been the case.
I heard perhaps urban folklore from an old-timer former journalist that the LSD trade was monopolized by a single criminal syndicate in the 50's. There are still some haunts with local regulars not overrun with suits, squares, or tourists.