A declassified CIA memorandum from 1952 detailing early research into behavior-altering chemicals has resurfaced online, drawing renewed attention to Cold War–era intelligence programs.
The seven-page document, titled “Special Research for Artichoke,” is dated April 23, 1952, and outlines proposals for developing substances capable of influencing human thought and behavior. The document was part of the CIA’s top-secret Project Artichoke, which operated from 1951 to 1956, according to reporting by The Daily Mail, which first highlighted the material this week.
The memorandum states that “some of the suggestions are controversial” and discusses the possibility of administering chemicals covertly as part of a “long-range approach to subjects.” It proposes studying substances “that can effectively be concealed in common items such as food, water, coca cola, beer, liquor, cigarettes, etc.” and adds, “This type of drug should also be capable of use in standard medical treatments such as vaccinations, shots, etc.”
The document also references research into “bacteria, plant cultures, fungi, poisons of various types, etc.” capable of producing illness and altered mental states. Among the ideas discussed were the use of certain mushroom species “which produce a certain type of intoxication and mental derangement” and the study of dietary manipulation, including “specially canned foods having elements removed,” particularly in interrogation settings.
Proposals included examining both short-term and long-term effects. Long-term agents, the memo suggests, could be designed to create either “an agitating effect (producing anxiety, nervousness, tension, etc.) or a depressing effect (creating a feeling of despondency, hopelessness, lethargy, etc.).”
According to The Daily Mail, the CIA conducted human experiments under Project Artichoke, often involving prisoners, military personnel, and psychiatric patients. Many of the tests were reportedly carried out without informed consent.
Project Artichoke is widely described as a precursor to the CIA’s MK-Ultra program, launched in 1953, which expanded research into mind-altering techniques, including the use of LSD. Numerous MK-Ultra records were destroyed in 1973, leaving portions of the program’s scope unclear.
Some researchers have argued that earlier investigations, including those examined by the Church Committee in the 1970s, did not fully account for the scale of Project Artichoke. Author John Leake suggested that the program’s activities may have extended beyond what was publicly disclosed. He referenced the 1951 Pont-Saint-Esprit incident in France, in which dozens of residents experienced severe hallucinations, though that event was officially attributed to contaminated bread.
The renewed attention to Project Artichoke has prompted commentary from several public figures. Nebraska chiropractor Ben Tapper, who was previously listed on the “Disinformation Dozen” list in 2021, said the document “exposes a disturbing reality that government agencies have historically explored ways to manipulate human behavior through chemical and biological means.” He added, “This is not speculation or conspiracy, and it should deeply concern every American who values bodily autonomy and informed consent.”
Naomi Wolf, CEO of Daily Clout and author of “The Pfizer Papers: Pfizer’s Crimes Against Humanity,” told The Defender that the documents reinforce what she described as a documented history of intelligence agencies researching methods to influence behavior. “Sadly, it’s long been established that our intelligence agencies, and those of our enemies, have sought to alter human consciousness and behavior, often without the subjects’ consent,” Wolf said.
The discussion has also intersected with contemporary debates over intelligence agency activities. A 2024 Reuters investigation reported that the CIA conducted a secret propaganda campaign in the Philippines aimed at countering China’s influence by targeting perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines.
Michael Rectenwald, author of “The Great Reset and the Struggle for Liberty: Unraveling the Global Agenda,” said the resurfaced records “make it clear that the CIA has posed an enormous threat to U.S. citizens.”
Other commentators have drawn comparisons between historical programs and more recent public health controversies. The “Covid Dossier,” published by Sasha Latypova and Debbie Lerman through Brownstone Institute, argued that pandemic policies were coordinated through military and intelligence structures. In separate commentary, epidemiologist Nicolas Hulscher referenced peer-reviewed research, including a 2024 study in Molecular Psychiatry and a 2025 paper in the International Journal of Innovative Research in Medical Science, examining neuropsychiatric outcomes following COVID-19 vaccination.
The 1952 memorandum also recommended involving the U.S. Army Chemical Warfare Service in Project Artichoke’s efforts, citing its “exhaustive studies along these lines.”
Historians note that many Cold War intelligence programs were conducted under secrecy amid fears that rival nations were developing psychological and chemical warfare capabilities. While official investigations in the 1970s exposed aspects of those programs, the resurfacing of archival material continues to generate debate about the extent and legacy of such research.
Project Artichoke documents were declassified in 1983, but only recently posted in the CIA’s online reading room, where they have since circulated widely.
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