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'Godfather of Ecstasy,' Chemist Sasha Shulgin Dies Aged 88
EwanPalmer (2536690) writes "Alexander 'Sasha' Shulgin, the chemist, pharmacologist and author known for popularizing the drug MDMA as well as creating and synthesizing hundreds of psychoactive drugs, has died aged 88. Shulgin was known for discovering, creating and personally testing hundreds of psychoactive chemicals and documenting the results, along with his wife, in his books and papers. He is also known for introducing the positive aspects of MDMA to psychologists, which in term helped it become a popular recreational drug in the 1980s." With less irritation from auto-playing video sound, try the BBC.
He also wrote two books on these experiments, Pihkal and Tihkal, both of which are part fictional autobiography, part detailed instructions on how to synthesize a lot of what he discovered. They're interesting reads, at the least.
Too bad fear rules all. MDMA was highly effective in couples therapy, leading to years of progress in hours.
I realize it was tongue in cheek, but you really shouldn't reduce Shulgin down to "the inventor of ecstasy" and draw cute comparisons with other famous chemists. Shugin "invented" countless other phenethylamines and tryptamines, and he documented the synthesis and experience reports thoroughly in a few different volumes that you can find on amazon.com. He was also a pioneering inventor of a massively popular pesticide which preceded other pesticides that are foundational components of modern agriculture.