The term “tabs” overwhelmingly refers to dosage units of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, commonly known as LSD. LSD is an extremely potent hallucinogen, which means it is active at very low microgram doses, making it easily distributed on small carrier materials. The visual characteristics of these units are highly variable, making a definitive identification based on appearance alone virtually impossible. Although the drug itself is colorless and odorless, the way it is packaged on the street determines its visible form, which most frequently involves absorbent paper.
The Appearance of Blotter Paper
The most common form of LSD is known as blotter paper, which is a sheet of absorbent paper infused with a liquid solution of the drug. These sheets are typically perforated into small, individual squares, or “tabs,” each representing one dose. The absorbent paper is highly efficient at holding the minute quantities of LSD required for a single dose.
A standard individual tab is usually a tiny square, measuring about one-quarter of an inch (approximately 6.4 mm) on each side. This perforation allows the sheet to be easily torn into these single-dose units, sometimes called “hits.” Full sheets, which can be 7.5 inches square, often contain hundreds of individual doses.
The paper is almost always decorated with vibrant, intricate, and often psychedelic artwork, leading to the term “blotter art.” This artwork is printed directly onto the absorbent paper before the LSD solution is applied. The specific design, which can range from cartoon characters to abstract geometric patterns, is merely a branding method and has no connection to the drug’s purity or potency. While the vast majority features colorful graphics, some blotter paper is left plain white, a form sometimes referred to as “White on White.”
Alternative Forms: Gel Tabs and Microdots
While blotter paper is the most recognized delivery method, LSD also appears in two other distinct solid forms: gel tabs and microdots. Gel tabs are made by dissolving liquid LSD into a gelatin mixture, which is then poured into a mold and allowed to set. They are generally translucent and come in small, square, or pyramid shapes.
These gel pieces are often brightly colored, with common shades including clear, blue, or purple, and sometimes contain flecks of glitter or gold embedded within the gelatin. Gel tabs are often perceived as being more potent than blotter paper because the gelatin matrix provides a better barrier against environmental degradation, such as light and air.
Microdots represent another solid form, appearing as tiny, hard pellets or miniature pills. They are distinguished by their extremely small size, often resembling a pinhead or a fraction of a standard pharmaceutical tablet. Microdots can vary in color (white, beige, or brightly colored) and may sometimes be molded into simple shapes like stars. This format requires the LSD to be mixed with a binder and pressed.
Risks of Misidentification and Unknown Substances
Relying on the visual appearance of any “tab” to confirm it contains LSD is extremely dangerous because many other substances are distributed using the exact same physical formats. The visual similarity of different compounds on blotter paper or in small pills creates a significant public health risk. Many potent synthetic psychedelics, such as the NBOMe series (like 25I-NBOMe or 25B-NBOH), are frequently applied to blotter paper.
These compounds are visually indistinguishable from LSD-infused blotter paper, yet they can be significantly more toxic and have been linked to hospitalizations and fatalities. A key distinction that cannot be seen is that NBOMes often have a noticeable bitter taste, whereas pure LSD is essentially tasteless and odorless. Furthermore, the trend of applying new psychoactive substances to blotters has grown, with forensic analyses finding over a dozen different compounds, including potent opioids like fentanyl, being distributed on paper squares.
The microdot and small pill format also poses a significant threat, as highly potent opioids, including fentanyl, are often pressed into small tablets that can resemble microdots. Accidental ingestion of a fentanyl-laced pill mistaken for a microdot can easily lead to a fatal overdose. Because the visual cues—color, shape, and size—are easily replicated across multiple dangerous substances, visual identification alone is never a reliable method for determining the contents of a tab.