Complex
27 May 2016
By Suzannah Weiss
“A guy was running from the cops and had a sheet [of
LSD] in his pocket,” goes one variation of a popular urban legend. “He knew he
was gonna get busted and didn't know what to do with the stuff, so he did the
whole sheet. Now he thinks he's a glass of orange juice and his biggest fear is
that someone will drink him.”
Sound familiar? This LSD urban legend is well-known
and widespread, and it's cited to have been around since the 1960s,
perpetuating fear and becoming oral lore to future generations. Another version
of this myth claims a man went permanently insane, and failed to tap out of the
OJ mindset. "Because of this, he could never bend over, slept upright and
did not make any sudden movements."
Everyone seems to know this guy, or someone like him.
You may have heard a variation of this story from a friend who did acid, or a
friend of a friend, or a D.A.R.E. counselor trying to spook you from trying it.
It's a common tale that may have filled you with fear and curiosity at a young
age. But is it all just made up? And if so, why do so many versions of this
story exist? We talked to several experts, users, and friends of users and
surprisingly, there's more truth to this myth than just hearsay. […]