Ironically, the most compelling argument against censoring the PIHKAL PDF comes from the emergency room. Sasha Shulgin was a meticulous self-experimenter. In Part Two, he assigned a "Shulgin Rating Scale" (+) to each compound, describing the qualitative experience from a simple "threshold" (+) to a "non-plus-ultra mystical experience" (++++).
"PIHKAL" is a comprehensive tome that details Shulgin's extensive research on phenethylamines, a class of psychoactive compounds that includes MDMA (Ecstasy), MDEA (Eve), and a host of other lesser-known substances. The book is divided into two main sections: the first part provides an overview of the chemistry, pharmacology, and effects of various phenethylamines, while the second part comprises a collection of personal accounts, or "case histories," detailing Shulgin's own experiences with these substances. pihkal pdf
Because the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) used PiHKAL as a scheduling guideline—placing many compounds Sasha wrote about into Schedule I—the book carries a mystique. Owning the feels like holding a secret artifact from the underground. "PIHKAL" is a comprehensive tome that details Shulgin's
PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (an acronym for Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved Owning the feels like holding a secret artifact
PiHKAL is an unusual literary hybrid, often compared to Primo Levi’s The Periodic Table for its ability to span the "chasm between art and science". It is divided into two distinct but complementary halves: a semi-autobiographical narrative and a technical chemical manual.
While the full 978-page printed book remains in circulation via Transform Press or retailers like Amazon , the technical second half is widely available online for free: