DEVELOPMENT OF "TRUTH DRUG" WITH ATTACHED MEMORANDUM DATED 2 JUNE 1943

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00184373
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: January 21, 2025
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: June 21, 1943

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General W. J. DOILOVIU2
� 21 Juno 1943
In the course of these experiMe-nts, the men were fed a Certain
anount of the oanne.bis tincture by mouth. The results of these'
tests were also unsatisfactory, in that the men euffered Consider-.
able. physical discomfort itthout disclosing confidential information
� which had been furnished them.
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(a It was then decided that a further set attests should be made at
� the ... 4 wherein we would give ciu2nabis by,mouthi-
increasing the dose gradually in the hope that there would be �
certain point at which the subjects would talk freely and yet not
suffer physical discomfort. Treatod cigarettes were used as em
, adjunct in the experiments..
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CI� we were able to secure eight enlisted men Through .. who volunteered, for the purpose. However.' the results of these tests were
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- again negative in that the men suffered physioai'discimfort and would,
not discuss confidential matters. It developed that one of the men.
, suffered. bone after effects and so was sent to the
... flowever, : - . Stated that this man was Of
� ' 'imitable temperament and that he haiien given Unusually good treat.
, Mont in the . " Hospital. Z_ - - foltt that the return frac 1
r,
- such treatment to the camp might have been a more important factor n ..
-causing the =Os condition. than the drug i itself& (Ail of this date)
. approximatel,y *ix weeks after the experiments the man appear to _
. :..have &bloat entirely recovered and will likely be Ordered back to �
-camp.) �� � . ' : _ .` � '' ' .i; , -f .' - � : . . -
- it I itustiiii.meeiing oi' the liomrsittie, it Woue deoldeti:that V;al. id- -
Ministration wal"sn unsatisfactory method end that experiments should "-
bciade With various method1 of lashalation. --' - .. -then -cionducted '
testa by ilutting tetna4drooannabinol.abetate (extracted trots Indian .- -
. Itesmp) on�chardoal. which wait then lighted and the Vapor* were allowed
to penetrate in ti,. roopti also toy spraying the hoetitte-intO iii. Sven... .-..,
- In both oases members br ovir.own staff *Ore used al subjects in, the
treated atmosphere. The reiults of the Chars:oat test were-negative; -�
- but. it *ad thought that the spray method ofteratir.iciale promise. � 1over-1- ..
theless. it wile decided that the use of Orgaretitei, treated -with the., ;
CI- awe-tate. !idea ,be the test.roettumt'of Operation: -Thereforei _. � .
leirP�.1 -and ". � ., cariiid on'iixtexisive.experimentS vrith Cour own staff -.
Irmo and wi,ih mosberil of thiii?cmuitteS, to dctertning, _the effects ,of such .
4:
-- . lin administration, and 4i� to deteimihe the quantities of drag to be '
used. � - -.. . . . � ....,;. '..,-�',# ' . ' � ,. .. ! ' . . � - 7 '''
'Mesa tests-03416Ni iesdlts In that'. li itiimared'Poisibti to administer
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an *mount, bf-tttei materiai *MIT:1h mould brim about a state of irresponaid. ..
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batty. ..causing the subject to become loquacious and free in his i: , . ' T .�
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general W. J. Donovan
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'impartation of information (some of Atoll it was felt hti.wirizid
certainly not divulge except under influence or the drug), yet _
wi'thout causing unpleasant symptoms during, or after, the tests'.
CooAnother test was carried out by � in which be- gains �
treated. cigarettes to silfew York ganzster; tut without the; lubjeot.
icnthrinr, of the treatment': Eanzster became voluble and imparted
much secret inforraatiozi iui�-attestei. by the attached Copy of
Cipoi_ 3 report. :"Eocknier, the gangster attributed his volubility.
to the fact that L he had drunk some breridp.. �
� The oisaketitii experiments iridiopted that we had a aw3ch1nism.Which
offered Promise in the relaxing' of prisOners to be interracated.
As the conmittiae agreed .with this con:A.16ton, we thon went tO.Genekal
Donovan and at his ititige0:4 Oil talked ildt.1/2 who than -
CShanneled uis � ot VIS.. kt the tine of our visit tO
C " -is office. - _ of CE taiked:with the General
co, ,for some time, but we did dot tip.11c with ._ � � 'informed
Us that the General apparently did not ilia to icncrw more- about the ,
subject. ThereuPons General Doriairall olexuas�led Is t:o � � -
with *oat we discussed the subject in Sem detail 'and whO prciveid to
be quite interested. *Shartly, afterthia mooting Witti:: -
(h. he find': "': visited' our offload and we then gatii.t.theri the '-
�40. story &geld fully. , thou f sent to us 7.
. of.ONI, to whom we gave the'wfx)le itoryil�togethei withrk�PaoksgeDr
the treated cidarettes...fhe dormaxider was very molt interested but
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doubtful as to how far he could go with the method.
. bulks day Of the ei;erinient, I requested subject to risit,
mil mi.* apartment Att New York on the Pretext.that,I wanted to talk
further about plans to utilise Ms .services, in Italy. I hak �:
tweviousi,y prepared cigarettes Of the isak breuul I-knew him t.o�:.
smoke loaded with both .04- grams of Levee's acetate and -.02 grams
bf,toeceet,s acetate. Subject entered the apartment at tee' p.m. end
at that time itated that he could not remain lin% as' he had 0, friend -
emiting.for him in an automobile outside. . After a short conversation
, regarding .the. pretext on which 'he had come to the apartmentA I gatt:.--,
. Iii .04 cigarette at 2110 ,p.m. At 2t30 'paw having notieed no.
porteeptible effects, I gave.him a .02 cigarette.. Shortly thereafter;
subject became abiiously "high" mid extremely garrulous. . �NO.,stoncypo:,
lied the conversation and wait exceedingly. friendly.- I tuttned the --
-Conversation into "Enforcement" cluumnels, whereupon with no fisr.thei
enoourat subject -divulged the following infortaationt
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-,The-Xieregoing informationless given aver a Peeked of .iqproximatel,y; .
� two hours. On one occasion* the subjeot said. "Whatever you do
, donit,ovei-ithe any of the stuff I'm er you.". Subject ketathat � �?:--:�:.�.�
all Of the. persona he had named -were well Imorearto me and had been the
� objects of close irrvestigation end scritini by the Treainiry: Depirtziont,--i, -
'over a period of years.. - �- (:- . � -�-.
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- Dir1xigthis conversation subject exhibited no ligne cf discasfeor"...
anti aPparentlY did not realise It. was under the influence. of.a.
�H.had compleitely.forgetten the man who was waiting for hilt in the
autos:Atte outside. At 4s30. p.m. I found it necessary to interrupt
. .1' the flaw of conversation because other persons were expected and be
�- then left- reluctantly. Ones started on the subject Of brim/nil.
� 'activities ...Subject reguixsd no encouragement to tiontinue-tSLeneand
�--ricintepoiiimia the conversation.' - � ��� � � ' -� ;---,
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The toifaw1n
.ifig; sithjoit again 'came to sPai-tmeiniof his-
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ann iiiiittins And stated that, von leaving the previoul ele,y he had felt� .* �
miroinky" Ind elid not rasi that,he vie aspablei .of driving his
ititted. that he had taken a vigorous. Pored.?
iornti and attributed this condition to that; circumstance.
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. � WSW =id. to ..the eipoitneni that 'doialaii oti
the- following dew Subject �again came, to tee � apartment;
occasion, at SISO p.a. subject vas given t agaretta containing .oL
to perceptible effect; yak netioid-tar�
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.I suggested that aubjeet tie dons anii led ilia to a oouca- -
where he *envied and via" appiientlY =conscious for ii -period of,-.
app.mximitely one hoar. they end of, that Atari: subject sit up
end selme.,disolnisien was 'hid retitle*, to the aims* of hte trouble:
t 'suggested that his condition iras dui to imalameis from hiving no
eaten, combined with dos stadunt of physic be had taken aaa he agreed .
that this,pro'bably was the case: tie then vent to .dinner. it 'which
time, he ate i.leartriveal;: Approximately an he-LW-hour later he:
ste, ed. th felt..fine.'� ; , - � � ��., � . " -
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During the Period Prior to his collapse very littler tower.
eatieninut had of siosificance excepting that just Prior tarbis collapse.
." subject volunteered that ,he eould arrange to _have _ :;.'eairdereds:
if -I thought that would be helpful to the war effort. texplained � .".
that Dirt such 'actionwould marbly Maim , a martyr.' but "he repeated
tut 3m c'duld bavo ikaoluesplished by tame employees ut _" "anion.
I disriaded hint frairluoh activity.
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The following der on Uvy 31at, subjeet came to ty. 'aPirtmenIt''
at ioixci and offered to drive ma to Long islacul where my wife was.`-
coirialesoing from illness. En route to Long Island.. I gave subjeot
AA .42 cigarette. Re was driving and exhibited no visible effect.
�He engaged in conversation, hovrrers , and on this occasion, gave ne
� the follcnring informatiOnt ,
L.,.
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� . � Although subject.* iicinditicni the previous diti was frequently
iniiitiabed sue discussed� he did not have a perceptible effect from -
the .02 cigarette administered in this ease and did ttot commisnt on
.iny abnormalities of feeling.
, 'ilia foregoing information could be damaging to tho
subjcist ard it a class of information that subjuot would never give
Under ordieari.. aircumotances. There is ma question but that the '
adArtistraticui of the drug was responsible for loosening the. subject.*
tongue.
It lei:believed that in the future administration or the drug
'should be held to the .02. cigarette over a period of t ism 'sufficient
to bring about desired results. Experiments should be, conducted
under such conditions, that sufficient tine will be allcieed he rfor t
milder cigarettes to take effect; and no .interruptions , should be
. permitted to Occur.
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