The Island of Silence: The Story of LSD in Alicudi Islands

The Alicudi Islands, also known as the "Island of Silence" in Italy, is a remote and isolated place with a rich history and unique culture. Most of its inhabitants are fishermen and shepherds, and the island is devoid of vehicles, roads, and hotels. Despite its picturesque beauty and tranquil atmosphere, what made Alicudi famous was the mental disorder that plagued its people centuries ago. This disorder was caused by the consumption of bread made from rye infected with the fungus Ergot, which produces an alkaloid called lysergic acid - a basic component of LSD. In this article, we will delve into the fascinating story of how the people of Alicudi became a natural laboratory for LSD, leading to mass hallucinations and superstitions that persisted for generations

Alicudi Islands are one of the most sparsely populated and isolated parts of the world. Known as the 'Island of Silence' in Italy, with its clear skies, blue sea, and beautiful slopes. Wild and ancient island. There are no vehicles, no roads, no ATM counters, no hotels. Most of the residents here are fishermen or shepherds. But what made the island famous was not its mysterious beauty or tranquility, but rather the mental disorder that plagued its people centuries ago. We know that sometimes some people will see and hear what is not there. Such hallucinations are personal. But what if these feelings affect a country as a whole? What if it darkened their lives for so long? That is what made Alicudi famous.

What kind of magic does a loaf of bread show? In those days, their main food was bread. The main ingredient in the bread is rye. But during the hard times, the rye plants became infected with the fungus Ergot. Ergot produces an alkaloid called lysergic acid. It is a basic component of LSD, a deadly drug. In short, taking ergot had the same effect as narcotics. Thus, in 1938, long before the Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann chemically discovered the drug, Alicudi became a natural lab for LSD. The poor people, without knowing the story, were making and eating bread from the Ergot-infected plant.

The women of the village prepared this bread every morning and gave it to the children and husbands. All the islanders who ate it became addicted. On the other hand, taking it regularly for a long time can lead to less severe ergotism. This can lead to hallucinations and insanity. They have been accustomed to this food for years because of hunger and isolation from the rest of the world. The food was valuable to them. Even if they were infected with mold, they would still eat it without losing it. This further increased the fungus. The people who ate the bread calmed down. Some lost consciousness. Almost everyone became insane. Superstitions and hallucinations became part of their daily lives. Following this, new stories about witches emerged.

Things started to change when tourists started arriving on the island in the 1950s. The tourists listened to the stories of the locals and were convinced of what was happening through their own experience. People began to realize that these were just hallucinations experienced under the influence of intoxicants. Eventually, the church declared the bread to be "devil's bread" and people avoided it until it was completely abolished in the 1960s. Years after the incident, the island's elders still firmly believe that the stories of witches flying in the sky are true. They believe that witches will come there at night in the roar of the sea, that the fragrance of their ointment will spread everywhere, and that they will travel with fiery eyes over the sea.