Drug Exposé: 1V-LSD
Why don't you come on over, Valerrriieeeeeeee?
Well, well, well.
We haven’t written a Drug Exposé since November 2023, but that’s not because we were short of ideas. Cam and I have a handful of drafts with loads of chemical information we’d love to impart on you, but recently when writing about buying drugs online, I found out about 1V-LSD, a new little LSD derivative known by the street name Valerie.
What is it?
1V-LSD is an LSD analogue and an artificial derivative of natural lysergic acid. It’s often known by the street name “Valerie,” which is cute and I rate it. Valerie came on the scene pretty recently, only hitting the online black market in the summer of 2021 according to the very reliable PsychonautWiki and gaining mad underground popularity since.
The “1V” of 1V-LSD is valeric acid, making Valerie the combined condensation product of the two. Like LSD, 1V-LSD works by activating the brain’s serotonin receptors, especially the ones in the 5-HT2A receptor family.
How is it taken?
Like regular LSD, Valerie is taken in a blotter tab. A threshold dose is said to be around 15ug, with a high dose hitting 300ug. Reports of standard doses tend to hover between 50-225ug, depending on the user’s experience, weight, and makeup.
What does it feel like?
Studies have shown that Valerie is pretty similar in potency to 1P-LSD, which is another LSD analogue, and regular ol’ LSD.
Anecdotal trip reports on Reddit and Erowid, put forward recently by brave psychedelic explorers looking to make history, cite the drug as having near-identical effects to your everyday LSD, except for lasting longer. One 26-year-old Erowid user reported a 16-hour trip from a 150ug tab.
Users report intense open and closed-eye visuals and long-lasting visual and auditory hallucinations, as well as the usual psychedelic insightful and intense thinking, as well as deeper connectivity to nature and other people. Seems like being around lakes and bodies of water could result in a very pleasant feeling for some on Valerie. It tends to leave users with altered time perception, euphoria, and increased creativity and empathy, though the seriously introspective thought patterns could also result in anxiety spirals that could descend to a rough trip.
It also seems to differ slightly from regular LSD due to its elongated come-up, making users question if it’s “really working” 30 minutes to an hour after taking their first tab.
How do you get it and how much does it cost?
1V-LSD first came on the market as a legal research chemical. Most people buy it online through research chemical websites, as the average street dealer isn’t likely to have something like this on hand.
One Canadian website sells two 150ug blotters for $28 CAD. Another sells a packet of five of the same value for $80, averaging each one to be around $15, making 1V-LSD pretty damn cheap.
Is it legal?
1V-LSD was initially created, it seems, to be a legal alternative to LSD and fit into some legal loophole. Drug users, dealers, and chemists are always ahead of the game, but eventually, the boys in blue do catch up, and have to make some changes.
Thanks to the USA’s Federal Analogue Act, Valerie is classified as Schedule I over there (that means Very Illegal). As of 2022, Valerie is under investigation in Sweden and may become illegal there, and was placed under legal control in South Korea. The sale of it was banned in Germany the same year, and the ban was later amended in 2023, banning 1V-LSD as a whole.
Bad trips
In my research of 1V-LSD, I’ve not been able to find any reference to a bad trip on it, as it seems that most users have experience with regular LSD and other psychedelics, making them able to dose themselves and manage the trip properly. In fact, one Erowid explorer calls Valerie “an excellent LSD substitute,” and other reports do appear that users are mostly curious to compare the two.
That said, it doesn’t mean bad trips don’t happen.
Bad trips on LSD and its analogues are possible and happen more often than you think, which is why it’s so important to know your dose and focus on set and setting. Acid can be an intense psychedelic for some, and given the similarities between Valerie and normal LSD, it’s safe to say that Valerie’s trips could also be overwhelming, especially for the uninitiated.
Harm reduction
When experimenting with new drugs and substances, it’s important to prioritize your safety, even above your curiosity.
Don’t mix drugs
Experiment and do an allergy and reaction test with a small dose first
Do a lot of research so you know what dose you want to try and have an idea of what you’re getting yourself into
Consider having a trip sitter around you for your first time or let someone know what you’re doing
Make sure you’re in the right mindset and environmental setting
Test your substances to make sure the synthesis is pure and contains no potentially toxic or harmful additives
Do research on the website before you buy drugs online
Know your dose, pay attention to research and instructions, and measure responsibly.
References and further reading
Sofie Mikhaylova is a psychedelics, pop culture, and travel writer, among other things. Her writing has appeared in Vice, leafie, Psychedelic Spotlight, The Washington Post, Fodor's Travel, Double Dot Magazine, and more. Find her on Instagram, her newsletter Sofieland, her podcast Sofieland, and her website.