Grateful Dead LSD Memo: What to Do and What Not to Do

What should be done when a Grateful Dead fan is experiencing an Intense Psychedelic Response? In layman’s terms, an acid trip? Well, there’s a procedure for that.

Rock Medicine, “setting the standard in non-judgmental event medicine,” handles medical situations for concerts and other events. A RockMed memo obtained and shared by LiveForMusic.com spells out specific guidelines for concert-venue personnel should they encounter anyone tripping on LSD.

The Dead staged shows in California last week. They are wrapping up their Fare Thee Well concerts this weekend at Soldier Field with a final performance Sunday.

From what one fan saw in California, a medical crew is an absolute necessity.

“Chicago better have a big Rock Med chapter because I witnessed quite a few old ’rookies’ that either haven’t partied in 20 years or this was their first drum circle. People were dropping right and left,” he wrote on the fan site Philzone.org.

RockMed is based in northern California. Founded in 1973 by Dr. George “Skip” Gay, RockMed’s staff consists of doctors, nurses and EMTs. RockMed accepts volunteers through its website.

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The memo offers helpful bits of information and guidance, such as “LSD produces a change in the user’s sense of reality” and “These effects can be pleasurable, disorienting, frightening and/or disturbing.”

Those experiencing pleasure should be observed and left with their friends, according to the memo, and those who are disoriented should not be touched. And always, always “speak in a quiet, non-aggressive voice.”

Well, that’s just good advice in general, no?

Here’s the memo.