Human beings have been altering their state of consciousness with various substances for all of recorded history and probably for all time. Mostly use of drugs

Human beings have been altering their state of consciousness with various substances for all of recorded history and probably for all time. Mostly use of drugs was in an approved social or religious context that provided structure and meaning to the experience. Certainly, there is always the risk of some kind of harm, but history has demonstrated fairly conclusively that the most harm comes when drug use is illegal. When you take away the social, cultural and spiritual support for the experience. When you create an underground market for drugs etc.