"During the Vietnam war, the authorities learned of this phenomenon and, not surprisingly, they moved toward greater persecution of psychedelic users."

Yes, but Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, the company Albert Hofmann worked for when he discovered LSD had sold large quantities to the U.S. government (mostly the CIA) in the 1950s. The MK-ULTRA program, which ran from 1953 to 1964, involved giving LSD to thousands of people: military personnel, johns of hookers, housewives, anyone. Of course, though, you know the story. Unfortunately, though, I never got any handouts from the government.