A Swiss court has given a suspended sentence to a psychotherapist who treated his high-society patients with LSD, ecstasy and mescaline saying the illegal drugs expanded the consciousness.

The Zurich court gave the 62-year-old therapist a 16-month suspended sentence and a 2000 franc ($2240) fine for supplying the drugs during weekend therapy sessions between 2004 and 2008, the ATS news agency reported.

Groups of about 60 people - made up of doctors, lawyers and businessmen's wives, who each paid 300 francs - attended the sessions, the charge sheet said.

The psychotherapist, who was not named by ATS, handed out 700 doses each of LSD and ecstasy, 50 of mescaline and 150 of 2-CB, a synthetic drug similar to mescaline, for which the prosecutor wanted him convicted of drug dealing.

In court, the therapist said the illegal products were not drugs but "substances which allow the expansion of the consciousness".

The court found him guilty of violating the law on therapeutic products.

AFP